How critics reacted to Johnny Depp’s return to the international stage.

After three long years, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star Johnny Depp has returned to the international stage at the Cannes Film Festival appearing on the red carpet. Before the premiere of his latest film, Depp was seen signing autographs and taking selfies with his fans.

After series of court battles with his ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp appeared in style to the premiere of Jeanne du Barry, his first major project after the court battles. Depp plays Louis XV alongside actress and director Maïwenn.

Jeanne du Barry presents the story of a woman born into poverty and later becomes the French King’s final mistress played by Maïwenn. Depp reportedly became emotional after the film got an overwhelming reception.

Prior to this movie, Depp was dropped from the Fantastic Beasts franchise three years ago after a newspaper won a libel case (calling him a wife beater) against him. Fast forward to last year, Depp won a defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard.

In promoting the film, Depp speaking to journalist stated; “I don’t feel boycotted by Hollywood. I don’t think about Hollywood. I don’t need Hollywood.”

Though the film was well received by the audience, critics and reporters had this say:

However, despite being “sumptuously made… with jaw-dropping costumes”, it is also “kind of bland”, according to Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter.

“Even the casting – some would say stunt casting – of Johnny Depp as the king offers a few early thrills and then mostly yawns, with Depp dishing out what feels like a total of a dozen lines in respectable French, while otherwise remaining mute.

“His performance isn’t bad, and neither is Maïwenn’s in the lead role. But the two of them, like the movie, rarely get our pulse racing.”

Damon Wise of Deadline also noted that Depp’s role is “suspiciously light on dialogue” but bewailed the lack of passion on screen.

“If Maïwenn’s heroine really did sleep her way to the top and go to an early grave branded ‘sin incarnate’, then Jeanne du Barry must surely be the PG version,” he wrote.

Awarding it three stars, The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw praised the “watchability” of the film and “spectacular casting” of Depp.

“But Louis and Jeanne are not entirely credible as a love story, perhaps because of the cynicism in which they are both complicit and perhaps because the performances are a little opaque,” he continued.

“It’s an entertaining spectacle, only partly aware of its own vanity.”

Variety’s Peter Debruge said the decision to cast Depp felt “apt, for there must be a palpable power differential between Louis and his latest infatuation”.

“For his part, Depp delivers his lines in well-turned French, wearing fine powder and a stiff white wig, and yet he seems strangely uncomfortable in the role – adequate but not especially engaged,” he added.

“Depp’s the kind of player who delivers practically every performance with a wink, so it’s odd that even when his Louis is actually supposed to be winking (at Jeanne), the sparkle isn’t there. That curious lack of complicity saps the chemistry we crave between the two leads.

However, Rafaela Sales Ross of the Playlist described Depp as “very American, very misplaced” in the film where his French accent is “almost as distracting as his distorted make-up”.

“If it wasn’t for the highly-publicised scandals that envelop Jeanne du Barry, it is likely the film would make a swift turn from the red carpet into ostracism, and while the hubbub certainly delays the process, it will do little to prevent Maïwenn’s dire latest from the merciless hands of oblivion,” she added.

There was more sympathy from Kevin Maher in the Times who said Maïwenn coaxed an “impressively controlled performance” from Depp – but the movie is not really about him anyway.

“It’s very occasionally too tasteful for is own good,” he added. “But it’s also mature and grounded, and represents probably the best recovery vehicle that Depp is going to get.”

And Nicholas Barber, of BBC Culture, concluded: “The combination of Depp and Maïween may have seemed like a dangerous one, but on this occasion they’re playing it safe.”