--- title: "Artemis Fowl" year: 2020 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/artemis-fowl" fi1m_score: 32 critics_score: 29 critics_reviews: 26 published: "2026-09-16T15:30:42.141726+00:00" updated: "2026-09-16T15:30:42.433040+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Artemis Fowl (2020) Directed by Kenneth Branagh · 1h 34m · MPA PG · Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Family **Fi1m score: 32** · Critics 29 from 26 reviews *In a sentence:* Judi Dench commands the fairies; the film could use some supervision > Kenneth Branagh’s *Artemis Fowl* makes its young hero too agreeable, then surrounds him with explanations. This is a poor family adventure, despite some lively supporting performances and a house worth exploring. ## Synopsis Artemis Fowl II (Ferdia Shaw) is a precocious boy at Fowl Manor, where a conflict with the fairy world comes to his doorstep. He takes Captain Holly Short (Lara McDonnell) captive, placing a fairy at the centre of his own household. Commander Root (Judi Dench) and Mulch Diggums (Josh Gad) are also drawn into the confrontation. Artemis tries to control a dispute involving people whose lives and loyalties extend beyond his home, with Holly caught between the human boy and the fairy world. ## Review *Artemis Fowl* is a poor family fantasy that makes its precocious young troublemaker seem ordinary, then expects a crowded fairy world to supply the interest he lacks. Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s novel has the ingredients for something mischievous: a clever boy, a fairy captive and a conflict that reaches his own home. It treats the boy with such caution that his behaviour rarely gives us anything to worry about. Much of the trouble comes to him at Fowl Manor, without putting his character under much pressure. Conor McPherson and Hamish McColl’s screenplay keeps explaining the fairy world when it ought to be giving its inhabitants something revealing to do. Conversations are repeatedly taken up with information, leaving the characters little opportunity to surprise each other. We were bored by these explanations, because the people delivering them remained so thinly drawn. In a film running 94 minutes, that is time the relationships cannot afford to lose. Ferdia Shaw plays Artemis Fowl II with an earnestness that sits awkwardly beside the character’s supposed cleverness. The film tells us to take him seriously without letting us see enough that is surprising or unsettling in his decisions. Lara McDonnell gives Captain Holly Short some welcome energy, although the writing leaves too little space for Holly’s own concerns to matter. Judi Dench, as Commander Root, gets a little humour out of her authority, while Josh Gad’s Mulch Diggums offers an unruliness that the central performance could use. Haris Zambarloukos gives Fowl Manor a persuasive physical presence, an advantage the film loses whenever the digital effects take over. Jim Clay’s production design gives us something to look at during the explanations, and the house is one of the few places the film invites curiosity. Keeping much of the action there ought to help us understand the conflict. Instead, the effects and the crowded plotting make even this limited setting hard to follow. Matthew Tucker’s editing gives the story too little breathing space, and the rush makes an already crowded screenplay harder to follow. There are moments when simply staying with a character would help more than moving the plot along. Patrick Doyle’s music has a gravity that briefly suggests stronger feelings than the script provides, but it cannot make these thinly written relationships convincing. Between the hurried storytelling and the insistent explanations, we are seldom allowed to settle into a scene. Most critics have rejected the film, and the softened central character is a good reason to agree with them. An adaptation need not reproduce a book’s every decision, but making Artemis less morally troublesome leaves this version struggling to explain what makes him worth following. Family adventures can accommodate a selfish child, a frightening adult or a friendship that begins badly. Here, the determination to keep the hero agreeable makes him less interesting than the supporting characters around him. The supporting cast and the solidity of Fowl Manor offer occasional relief, and there is care here that deserved a better story. Those pleasures are too scattered to make the film worth a family’s evening. Save the evening for an adventure that gives children more credit. *Fi1m score 32, published 16 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The consensus on Artemis Fowl is overwhelmingly negative: none of the 26 reviews is positive, and only two are mixed. Most critics find the adventure confusing, hurried and short on wonder, with exposition crowding out character development. A recurring complaint is that the adaptation softens Artemis’s criminal instincts into conventional heroism, making him less interesting. The limited praise centres on supporting performances, particularly Josh Gad and, less consistently, Judi Dench, alongside occasional effective setpieces. The disagreements concern how much there is to enjoy despite those failings. Den of Geek is more receptive to the fairy world, colourful visuals and supporting cast, while Polygon finds pleasure in the effects and grotesque designs. Other reviews dismiss the imagery as recycled or unconvincing. Performances divide opinion too: Consequence finds Gad and Dench poor, rejecting two of the more frequently cited consolations. The spread runs from qualified disappointment to outright rejection, with little defence of the storytelling. ### Reviews we read (26) - **The AV Club**, Roxana Hadadi (D+): The film is described as bland and incoherent with paper-thin character development and unimaginative world-building; the critic highlights how uninterested it is in its source material and the sidelining of female characters. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/josh-gad-doing-a-bad-accent-is-somehow-the-least-of-the-1843983861) - **Empire**, Helen O'Hara (40/100, inferred): The review criticizes the adaptation for softening the protagonist's criminal edge and delivering a static, incoherent plot that fails to capture the fun of the books. It highlights some solid moments from Judi Dench and Josh Gad but concludes the film lacks edge and coherence. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/artemis-fowl/) - **Radio Times**, Huw Fullerton (2/5): The review faults the adaptation for sanding off the book's darker edges into a safe but muddled adventure, with stilted performances, rushed pacing and baffling changes to the source material that leave it feeling thin and like a direct-to-DVD effort. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/artemis-fowl-review/) - **RogerEbert.com**, Christy Lemire (40/100, inferred): The film is a glossy and empty exercise in world-building that sacrifices character development for briskness. Artemis has been softened into a less interesting spunky troublemaker rather than a devious mastermind. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/artemis-fowl-movie-review-2020) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (40/100, inferred): The critic calls the adaptation busy and exhausting with too much plot and unexciting action, labeling it a charmless chore despite polished visuals. Josh Gad's humor attempt is noted but the overall experience fails to engage. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/artemis-fowl-1297946/) - **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film misguided and devoid of magic, mangling the source books by turning the amoral Artemis into a blandly good hero who quickly befriends his fairy captive. It singles out Josh Gad's performance as the best element amid mostly failed efforts from the adult cast and awkward attempts at wit. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/artemis-fowl-review-family-fantasy-adventure-is-missing-the-magic-a4467416.html) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (30/100, inferred): Kenneth Branagh directs this family-fantasy-by-numbers adapted from Eoin Colfer’s bestselling teen novels. Judi Dench has one or two moderately funny lines and there is an amusing setpiece, but images and characters bounce around like shapes on a screensaver and only two performances have any fizz. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jun/11/artemis-fowl-review-judi-dench-kenneth-branagh-eoin-colfer-novels) - **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (30/100, inferred): The movie lacks any trace of wonder or joy in its world-building, relies on recycled visuals and uninteresting action, and shows no faith in the audience's ability to follow the story without excessive exposition. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-artemis-fowl.html) - **IndieWire**, Kate Erbland (25/100, inferred): The review deems the film an incomprehensible YA adaptation lacking an effective star, good effects, coherency, and any sense of magic, destined to be forgotten. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/artemis-fowl-review-ya-adaptation-disney-1202236335/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kevin Crust (25/100, inferred): The adaptation has been scrubbed and sanitized for a younger audience, resulting in something safe, generic and utterly disposable off an assembly line. Storytelling feels mechanical rather than enchanting. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-06-11/artemis-fowl-disney-review) - **Slant Magazine** (1/4): The adaptation is called a stagnant CGI orgy that goes nowhere, with the hero barely moving physically or emotionally and conflict simply dropped on his doorstep; social ills are treated as frivolous punchlines. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-kenneth-branagh-artemis-fowl-is-a-cgi-orgy-that-goes-nowhere/) - **Total Film** (25/100, inferred): The critic calls it an underwhelming misfire that smooths out the books' rough edges into something too bland for older viewers and compromised by post-production cuts. It singles out the lack of darkness or depth compared to Harry Potter films as a key failing. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/artemis-fowl-review-an-artemisfire-for-disney-plus/) - **The New York Times**, Ben Kenigsberg (20/100, inferred): Kenneth Branagh’s film has no reason to exist other than to spawn sequels. It is an overstuffed grab bag that projects nothing beyond a desire to kick-start a franchise. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/movies/artemis-fowl-review.html) - **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (20/100, inferred): The critic calls it a shoddy, baffling misfire and an exercise in how not to adapt a YA novel, criticizing the rushed plot, poor world-building, and lack of magic or spark. Praises Josh Gad and newcomer Lara McDonnell as minor bright spots. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/artemis-fowl) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge (15/100, inferred): The movie turns the criminal mastermind into a precocious do-gooder and is a downright awful misfire with noise, garish CGI and convoluted mythology. Screenwriters took a not-very-good book and made it worse. [Read](https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/artemis-fowl-review-disney-plus-1234631330/) - **Screen Daily** (10/100, inferred): The critic deems the film 'Fowl, but far from fair,' slamming the earnest half-baked fairy story, turgid expository dialogue, awkward staging, heavy CGI and miscasting of Judi Dench as a leprechaun, calling the whole thing away with the fairies. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/artemis-fowl-review/5150507.article) - **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★☆☆☆☆): It’s nonsensical, confusing and bears all the hallmarks of being constructed in a catatonic post-production haze. The truth is that it doesn’t matter where you start with Artemis Fowl. Because you will always finish in the same place — with a turgid, soulless, cack-handed mess. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/artemis-fowl-review-this-is-a-movie-murder-most-fowl-75n7rplsn) - **Den of Geek**, Rosie Fletcher (3 out of 5): The critic finds the adaptation colorful and cinematic but criticizes the softened, less interesting protagonist Artemis, who lacks the anti-hero edge of the books; praises the fairy world, visuals, and supporting performances like Judi Dench and Josh Gad. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/artemis-fowl-review-disney-kenneth-branagh/) - **Polygon**, Karen Han (45/100, inferred): The adaptation feels abridged and messy with a breathless plot and perfunctory characters, but offers some fun setpieces, impressive effects, and grotesque designs. Josh Gad's performance as Mulch provides the main highlight amid an overall lack of impact from the lead and villain. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/2020/6/11/21287771/artemis-fowl-review-disney-plus-josh-gad-judi-dench-colin-farrell-streaming/) - **Digital Spy**, Ian Sandwell (2/5): The review notes that the film will annoy book fans with changes that soften Artemis into a hero rather than anti-hero, and fails to engage newcomers with its familiar story and mixed execution. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a32833177/artemis-fowl-review-disney-plus/) - **HeyUGuys**, Linda Marric (2/5): The critic finds the film baffling and muddled, with a screenplay that fails to clarify characters or stakes. They note some strong performances from the young leads as a minor positive amid the confusion. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/artemis-fowl-review/) - **The Wrap**, Steve Pond (40/100, inferred): The critic concludes there is not enough magic in Kenneth Branagh's fantasy adventure, which pays lip service to myth before settling for an efficient Hollywood plot. It singles out the stateliness of Branagh’s directorial style and Patrick Doyle’s music as tantalizing but ultimately insufficient against the silliness. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/artemis-fowl-film-review-theres-not-enough-magic-in-kenneth-branaghs-fantasy-adventure/) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a frenetic and unmagical Disney-fied version of the YA books that leaves viewers wanting less. It singles out the busy effects work and the neutering of the title character's edgy, darker traits as key flaws. [Read](https://deadline.com/video/artemis-fowl-review-kenneth-branagh-josh-gad-ferdia-shaw-disney/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (F): The critic finds Kenneth Branagh's adaptation a joyless, incoherent slog largely confined to Fowl Manor with hollow plotting and bad VFX. The impressive production design stands out amid the lack of three-dimensional characters or emotional stakes. [Read](https://collider.com/artemis-fowl-review-disney-plus/) - **Consequence** (15/100, inferred): The film is a misbegotten mess with confusing character motivations, half-hearted emotional attempts, and weak humor, made worse by limited scope and poor performances from Josh Gad and Judi Dench. It is not worth even the short runtime on Disney+. [Read](https://consequence.net/2020/06/film-review-artemis-fowl/) - **/Film**, Hoai-Tran Bui (1/10): The critic deems the film an astounding failure both as an adaptation and as an entertaining movie. They single out the joyless, exposition-heavy plot and poor CGI for particular complaint. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/574590/artemis-fowl-review/) ## Details - **Director:** Kenneth Branagh - **Director:** Kenneth Branagh - **Screenplay:** Conor McPherson, Hamish McColl - **Novel:** Eoin Colfer - **Cinematography:** Haris Zambarloukos - **Editor:** Matthew Tucker - **Music:** Patrick Doyle - **Production design:** Jim Clay - **Producer:** Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund - **Cast:** Ferdia Shaw as Artemis Fowl II; Colin Farrell as Artemis Fowl I; Lara McDonnell as Captain Holly Short; Josh Gad as Mulch Diggums; Tamara Smart as Juliet Butler; Nonso Anozie as Butler; Joshua McGuire as Briar Cudgeon; Judi Dench as Commander Root - **Runtime:** 1h 34m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG - **Release (the US):** 12 June 2020 - **Genres:** Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Family - **Budget:** $125 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA0NnDagh28 ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $4.99, uhd *Checked 2026-09-16.* Also available in: AT, AU, BE, CA, CZ, ES, FI, FR, HU, IE, IT, JP, NL, NZ, PL, PT, SE, UA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Kid Who Would Be King* (2019): Young heroes, old magic and friendships developed beyond their usefulness to the plot. - *Time Bandits* (1981): A child’s adventure with the mischief and danger missing from this one. - *Spirited Away* (2001), Fi1m 92: A strange spirit world whose rules emerge through a child’s difficult choices. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/spirited-away.md) - *The City of Lost Children* (1995): For older viewers, grotesque fantasy built around a rescue worth caring about. - *A Monster Calls* (2016): A young protagonist allowed to be difficult, frightened and angry around magic. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/artemis-fowl