Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a timeless classic beloved by families all over the world. There have been several iterations over the years and now we have a new one to add to the roster. Ebenezer Scrooge (Johnny Depp) is a grumpy man who must reckon with his past, present and future in order to get a chance at redemption.
This has been helmed as Depp’s grand return to the big screen following his legal difficulties. I will not be talking about that; instead I will focus on the fact that he was the perfect choice for this role. Depp is no stranger to taking on an offbeat character complete with a funny voice, facial prosthetics and silly mannerisms. He completely gave himself over to the titular character. Seeing the evolution from a literal grinch to someone who actually wanted to better himself was enjoyable to watch.
In addition to Depp were a bunch of other well known actors who came together to bring this story to life. Ian McKellen starred as Jacob Marley. To have such an iconic man portray this character was truly a treat and although he wasn’t on screen for very long, the times he was were well worth it. Rupert Grint, in perhaps his first big movie role in a long time, took on Bob Cratchit. I forgot how integral to the plot he is so it was nice to have him featured so often. Sam Claflin and Daisy Ridley played Fred and Clara, Ebenezer’s nephew and niece in law. I appreciated their continuous attempts at reaching out to Ebenezer and the fact that they never gave up on him. I also really loved seeing Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas. His chapter was probably my favorite of them all.
Going into the film, I was a bit hazy on the details. I remember seeing a version with Mickey Mouse back in my childhood and I was a bit scared of it because of the ghosts. That version in no way, shape or form could compare to this one. Director Ti West chose to fully lean into the gothic aspects of the story and when I say it had an effect on me, I mean it. Maybe I really am more of a wuss than I thought I was because I had to close my eyes and would jump on multiple occasions and jump. I don’t know how the children in my viewing managed, but I certainly commend them for it!
Overall, Ebenezer was a really fun time. The darker tone really worked and gave it a fresh spin. That combined with the brilliant cast, haunting score and gloomy, olden days in London, I’m glad that it was my first Christmas film of the season.
Rating:♥️♥️♥️.5
