• Director: Ti West
• Screenplay: Nathaniel Halpern
• Based on: ‘A Christmas Carol‘ by Charles Dickens
• Producer: Emma Watts
• Cast: Johnny Depp, Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Tramell Tillman, Ian McKellen
• Cinematography: Checco Varese
• Editing: Ti West, David Kashevaroff
• Score: Tyler Bates
• Genre: Gothic dark fantasy comedy
• Runtime: 116 minutes

Bah humbug!

Johnny Depp makes a welcome return to mainstream cinema after a lengthy legal tussle with ex-wife Amber Heard. In recent years, he’s appeared in a French-language feature (‘Jeanne du Barry‘) as Louis XV and has done some directing (‘Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness‘).

Now, he plays the titular Ebenezer, Mr. Scrooge himself. He’s the perfect fit for the role. The character of Scrooge is miserliness personified, an exaggerated embodiment of greed and grumpiness. Depp’s usual over-the-top gurns and scowls belong here. During the more emotional story beats, Depp shows us a more vulnerable side to Ebenezer without the need for facial theatrics. He can do serious when the occasion calls for it while still hamming it up in lighter scenes.

You ought to know the plot but for those of you who have been living under a rock for the last two centuries, here’s a summation: Ebenezer Scrooge, a crotchety old miser, is visited by four spirits on Christmas Eve. Over the course of the night, the ghosts show him his past, present and future to help him see the error of his ways and instil in him charity and cheer before it’s too late.

With regard to this adaptation, which is largely faithful to the book, we start with the ghost of Jacob Marley (Ian McKellen), Scrooge’s similarly stingy business partner, bound in chains forevermore as punishment for a life spent looking down on poorer people. This first visit sets the splendidly supernatural tone. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Andrea Riseborough) makes for a dramatic visual: a spine-chilling phantom bride with white contact lenses, her words echoing. The Ghost of Christmas Present (Tramell Tillman)’s booming voice brings us back to earth, at least for a minute, until we discover what hides underneath his overcoat. Finally, the fourth spectre is of Christmas Yet to Come – the grim reaper itself, the non-verbal personification of death.

‘Ebenezer‘ doesn’t alter Charles Dickens’ classic cautionary tale in any way. That’s at no detriment to the quality. Ti West (the ‘X‘ trilogy) integrates his horror expertise into what is an already eerie story; thick fog, a spectral mob, a couple of jump scares. Fear not, it’s nothing like his other films – this is PG-13 material. The timing of the film’s release may be a little early for the festive period. It’s not an overly Christmassy affair but the release date lies in the sweet spot between Halloween and Christmas. There’s enough of the macabre for those still clinging on to spooky season whilst the joyful ending will surely spark anticipation of upcoming festivities.

My rating: 7 / 10