Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer opens amid divided reviews

Ti West’s Ebenezer, starring Johnny Depp as Ebenezer Scrooge, is scheduled to open in cinemas on November 13, as reviews offer sharply divided assessments of the actor’s performance in the gothic adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.

The film recasts the familiar Christmas redemption story with horror elements, including grotesque spirits and frightening sequences. Its approach retains the Victorian setting and the traditional visits from three spirits, while adding plot details and a darker atmosphere. One review describes the adaptation as largely conventional despite its gothic effects.

Critics disagree over whether Depp’s theatrical portrayal suits the role. Some reviews fault its exaggerated expressions and stylized delivery, saying the performance clashes with the film’s more grounded or frightening scenes. Other critics find his off-kilter manner a good match for Scrooge and praise moments that reveal the character’s grief and humanity.

One review highlights the film’s production design and atmospheric depiction of London, while criticizing Depp’s central performance. Another praises the adaptation’s emotional scenes, including Scrooge’s memories of his lost...