Ebenezer Johnny Depp first reactions, Digi Mart USA News: “Ebenezer” has officially premiered, and reviews for the Johnny Depp-led film are largely positive among members of the film press, who are praising the star’s return to Hollywood as a “wickedly fun holiday treat” that functions as a “strong comeback vehicle for its star.”
UK film critic Phil Roberts commended the film as a “bold spin on Dickens’ classic, delivering a sincere period piece infused with heart and despair.” “Johnny Depp is magnetic throughout Scrooge’s soft redemption arc leading to a finale that delivers more emotional resonance than its predecessors,” he wrote on X. “Humbug!”
Tom Chatalbash, FilmSpeak’s chief film critic, called “Ebenezer” a “wickedly fun holiday treat and strong comeback vehicle for its star,” and praised Depp’s performance. “Depp is a fiendish delight as Scrooge, delivering a lively performance that thankfully balances the goofy charm and emotional gravitas that has been sorely missed.
West’s horror sensibilities and visual panache give the film an immersive gothic look and feel as he’s able to balance the macabre thrills with the heart of Dickens’ beloved tale as he sprinkles in some refreshing new layers to deepen Ebenezer’s journey. Simply put, it’s great to see Depp back on the big screen.
Full review soon!”
Critics Choice member Clarence Moye wrote, “#Ebenezer is a pleasant surprise. Ti West brings a lovely gothic visual style which helps freshen an otherwise standard take.
And of course Depp is great, standing with George C. Scott as the best of the modern Scrooges.” Fellow Critics Choice member Tony Mosello similarly enjoyed the film, calling it a “revitalized edition of the classic Victorian fable of redemption, centered around a fun, quirky, and energetic Johnny Depp performance.”
Not every review was complimentary. Film critic Ren Vieira wrote, “I’m a sucker for A Christmas Carol & #Ebenezer hits all the beats right, but nothing’s distinct or unique about this version.” Vieira praised the “fantastic set design, production & sound design,” but said it was “just Depp doing cooky Scrooge, nothing more than his old tricks.”
UK-based film critic and writer MaryAnn Johanson kept her unfavorable assessment short: “Utterly superfluous,” she wrote on X. Film critic Robert Ortiz wrote, “EBENEZER is fine I guess,” adding that the film is “technically well made and Johnny Depp certainly looks and acts the part,” but that it is “forgettable” and “just boring, especially if you’ve seen a Christmas carol before.”
“Ebenezer” reimagines the Christmas classic “A Christmas Carol,” with Depp as Scrooge. Directed by Ti West, the film’s description reads: “The name you know, the story you don’t.” The ensemble includes Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Charlie Murphy, Tramell Tillman and Ian McKellen.
The film is the first Hollywood studio film Depp has made since his highly publicized 2022 trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, in which both accused the other of domestic abuse and defamation. Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages from Heard, while Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages.
The film is therefore positioned as, or was aimed to be, a major comeback for the “Edward Scissorhands” actor.
“Ebenezer” is set to hit theaters on Nov. 13 from Paramount.
