Johnny Depp is back in a major Hollywood film, and the first reactions to Ebenezer are in. The film, a dark retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol directed by Ti West, reaches cinemas on November 13.
Paramount held press screenings in New York and a London premiere at Leicester Square on November 9, then let attendees post brief reactions on X ahead of full reviews. The early verdicts split on the film itself. Most agree on one point: Depp’s Scrooge carries it.
UK critic Phil Roberts called Depp magnetic through Scrooge’s redemption arc and said the finale lands with more feeling than earlier versions. Tom Chatalbash, chief film critic at FilmSpeak, called the film a wickedly fun holiday treat and a strong comeback vehicle for its star. Others were less won over. Critic Ren Vieira said nothing about the version felt distinct, and Lewis Powell called it truly awful and told audiences to avoid it.
The film is Depp’s first major studio role since Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018. West directs from a script by Nathaniel Halpern, and the cast includes Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley, Andrea Riseborough, Tramell Tillman, Daisy Ridley and Sam Claflin. Full reviews arrive on November 12, a day before the film opens.
Source: MovieWeb
