I went into “Ebenezer” thinking it might be a wacky, avant garde, quirky and fresh take on “A Christmas Carol” — especially with Johnny Depp in the title role. It’s his first major Hollywood film since 2018’s “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” (though I’ve seen him in a few indies over the past eight years, including the underrated “City of Lies” and the top-notch “Jeanne du Barry”). Depp is known for bold, three-dimensional and often over the top characters, such as Edward Scissorhands, Captain Jack Sparrow, Willy Wonka and The Mad Hatter.
Unfortunately, “Ebenezer” is a pretty straightforward and dull version of the Charles Dickens story. It’s the exact dialogue, characters, locations and story arc we’re all VERY familiar with. And Depp doesn’t *own* the role of Mr. Scrooge. He’s got some nice moments in the final 10-15 minutes, but up to that point I never felt like he had a full grasp of the character, almost just kind of walking through it. This will not be remembered as an iconic Depp performance.
Director Ti West, of the “X” / “Pearl” / “Maxxxine” trilogy, contributes a sense of “creepiness”. “Ebenezer” isn’t on the same level as the family friendly versions starring Mickey Mouse, The Muppets, Mr. Magoo and Jim Carrey. This is not for kids. It’s a heavy PG-13 (teetering on R) because of the presentation of the ghosts and other horror-like appearances and elements. But none of those moments, along with a couple second half tweaks and stretched-out sequences, feel truly satisfying.
Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley and Trammell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present bring a little heft to their supporting roles. But there’s nothing here that will make most people go, “This is up there with the great interpretations” or “I need to watch this every year.” It’s too grim. Yes, the original Dickens story is dark, but the horror atmosphere, casting of Depp and serious tone don’t mesh well. You either go big and completely shake things up or you don’t do it at all. “Ebenezer” was a missed opportunity and ultimately feels unnecessary.
LCJ GRADE: C-
Running Time: 115 min.