Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer is receiving a more negative critical response than previous Scrooge adaptations starring Michael Caine and Albert Finney. The film marks Depp’s return to Hollywood after an eight-year absence and adds another entry to the long line of A Christmas Carol adaptations.
At present, Ebenezer holds a mixed 54% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 56 reviews, narrowly earning a positive rating from critics.
In comparison, Caine’s The Muppet Christmas Carol and Finney’s Scrooge hold scores of 79% and 71%, respectively. Ebenezer arrives in theaters this week, with its first reactions divided over Depp’s performance.
Michael Caine and Albert Finney set a different benchmark for Scrooge
While A Christmas Carol has had several adaptations, Michael Caine and Albert Finney’s takes offered two contrasting interpretations of the classic.
The Muppet Christmas Carol saw Caine deliver a serious performance against the more eccentric muppets, grounding the character in the fantasy. Finney’s Scrooge, on the other hand, was more theatrical, bringing his signature British humor to his performance, winning a Golden Globe as well.
Ebenezer, directed by Ti West, takes a different approach by being a dark comedy. Instead of bringing the usual holiday cheer, Ebenezer takes more from dark, Gothic thrillers.
Like many of Depp’s other films, it also features the actor undergoing an intense transformation. Unlike other adaptations of Charles Dickens’ novel, the film gives Scrooge stronger arguments rather than simply portraying him as a cruel miser.
Ahead of its release, Ebenezer already faced stiff competition from another Scrooge movie that has already hit theaters. The film also had several other problems to contend with, leaving its box office prospects and audience reception uncertain.
Alongside Depp, Ebenezer features a stacked ensemble cast including Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Sam Claflin as Fred, Daisy Ridley as Clara, Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley. West directed the film from a screenplay by Nathaniel Halpern.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
