Bah, humbug again.
Ebenezer, directed by Ti West and starring Johnny Depp, Rupert Grint, Daisy Ridley, Ian McKellen, and many more, is yet another adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This story has been told many times before, through live-action films, television miniseries, animated versions, and even the Muppets. That gave me two different outlooks going into this film.
On one hand, I was curious because of the team involved. Ti West intrigued me. He’s the director behind X, Pearl, and MaXXXine in recent years, and seeing a horror director take on a Christmas story with ghosts at its center caught my attention. So did Johnny Depp’s return in what is arguably his biggest Hollywood release since his courtroom battle with Amber Heard. He has appeared in a few smaller European films over the last couple of years, but I think this will be the widest release audiences have seen him in since then.
On the other hand, I couldn’t shake the question: did we really need this? Could this version offer something new, or would it just rehash the same story again?
In Victorian London, Ebenezer Scrooge is a wealthy businessman whose greed and bitterness have driven away nearly everyone around him. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him that three spirits will take him on a supernatural journey through his past, present, and future. Scrooge must confront the choices that shaped his life and discover whether he can change his fate before it’s too late.
I enjoyed my time with Ebenezer. That said, it felt like an unnecessary re-adaptation of a story we already know.
I’ll start with the positives, and the biggest one is Johnny Depp. He brings a lot to the role of Scrooge. There will be plenty of different takes on his return. Many people view him as the abuser in everything that happened with Amber Heard, and that discussion will happen without a doubt. But a lot of people are excited to see him back in movies, particularly those who have stayed disconnected from all of that.
Looking at his performance objectively, he brings all the charm Johnny Depp is traditionally celebrated for. He plays Scrooge exactly as you would expect: curmudgeonly and selfish, ultimately going on a journey of recognizing this isn’t the person he wants to be anymore.
This film won’t give you many surprises, because you know the story. For some kid, teenager, or even somebody in their early 20s who has never seen another version, this may become their definitive one, and that may warrant its existence for some. Outside of that, there’s not much new here when it comes to the characters.
Much like actors who take the stage to perform Hamlet, you’re getting the traditional story here. Depp gives Scrooge that classic feel while leaning into his own sensibilities: the over-the-top performance that’s grounded at the same time, the expressive faces he’s known for, and the moments of wit and banter he’s always been celebrated for.
The rest of the supporting cast is solid. Rupert Grint plays Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s employee and the father of Tiny Tim, the sick young boy. Scrooge has to realize he hasn’t been treating Bob and his family the way he should. Grint does a great job making him a character you feel for, along with his family. He’s always a charming actor to watch, and I feel like you don’t see him in nearly enough, so it was nice to see him here.
Ian McKellen is great, as always. His screen time is fairly limited, but the time he has is memorable. Daisy Ridley is solid, and I enjoyed Sam Claflin as Fred, Scrooge’s nephew.
Then there are the three ghosts. Andrea Riseborough plays the Ghost of Christmas Past, and she was the coolest-looking of the bunch. I loved the makeup and the look surrounding her. Aesthetically, she was easily the creepiest of the three, and I enjoyed how they introduced her character. Tramell Tillman plays the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Robert Strange plays the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. All of them were great.
Everybody understands what kind of movie they’re in. It almost feels like a group of actors performing a classic stage production, each playing an iconic role, and they slip into those roles well.
As for Ti West, I was curious how a director known for horror would handle a film like this. Honestly, I didn’t feel Ti West in most of it. This film could have been directed by almost anybody else, and I didn’t feel his style throughout, which was a bit of a shame.
However, there are specific shots, particularly around the ghosts, where you can absolutely see him. In those moments, he brings his style to the forefront in how things are shot and staged, and those are the film’s best moments.
A small handful of scenes might creep out younger kids. This story is usually handled with some grace, in a way that kids, teenagers, and adults can all watch without it getting overly dark. This is one of the first versions I’ve seen that leans more into the darker side.
Some of the framing in scenes with the ghosts, especially Riseborough’s, along with some of the things she says, might creep out a young kid. Those were the moments where I could see West’s horror influence coming through. There are some great shots in this film, and the cinematography is solid for the most part.
Another big positive is the overall production. The costume design, hair, and makeup, especially on Depp and the ghosts, were very well done, and the film’s look and feel of Victorian London were excellent.
With all that said, I kept having a hollow feeling while watching. If you’ve seen even three versions of this story, you’ll walk out thinking, yeah, that was the story of Scrooge. Nothing about it made it feel special or grand.
I can praise the production. I can praise the cast. I can praise the touch of horror that comes with its director. But does it add much to the story? Not really.
There’s a new love interest and a couple of extra scenes with some of the characters. By the end, though, I wished we had spent more time with the supporting characters.
Of course, this is Scrooge’s story, so it’s all about his journey, and it tells the story of a curmudgeonly old man who realizes he’s been living his life wrong effectively. By no means was Ebenezer a bad time.
The film left me feeling like I’d seen the story of Scrooge exactly as I know it, with very minor changes, and it doesn’t make this one of the new adaptations I want to pop in.
If I want a live-action version, I’ll likely watch the Patrick Stewart one. If I want an animated version, I’ll probably watch the Jim Carrey one. And if I want the fun version, I might watch the Muppets.
So, does Ebenezer squeeze itself in as a great new adaptation? Not necessarily. I don’t think this version does enough to distinguish itself or feel necessary.
It left me wishing we had gotten a new Christmas story with this cast and this director. I know people have been bitching and moaning about this online for so long that it almost feels like we’re rehashing our own complaints. But when a story is one of the most popular literary works and has been adapted this many times, it begs the question: why, why, why do this again, only for it to feel like just another version with very minor touches to make it its own?
Some people in my theater seemed to enjoy it. Maybe they hadn’t experienced the story before, or maybe this version latched onto them. I’m not sure. Either way, it seems like the takes on it will be mixed.
Ultimately, I had a good time with Ebenezer, but I won’t be rushing to rewatch it, and it won’t be part of the Christmas rotation in my household. Still, if you’re a fan of Johnny Depp or of this story, you’ll have a perfectly good time if you just want to guzzle down some popcorn and soda at the theater this Christmas season.
Rating: 6.5/10