--- title: "Artemis Fowl: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/artemis-fowl/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/artemis-fowl" critics_score: 29 critics_reviews: 26 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): what the critics said Critics' score 29 from 26 reviews: 0 positive, 2 mixed, 24 negative. 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. ## The AV Club — Roxana Hadadi Rating D+. 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.avclub.com/josh-gad-doing-a-bad-accent-is-somehow-the-least-of-the-1843983861) ## Empire — Helen O'Hara Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/artemis-fowl/) ## Radio Times — Huw Fullerton Rating 2/5. 15 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/artemis-fowl-review/) ## RogerEbert.com — Christy Lemire Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 12 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/artemis-fowl-movie-review-2020) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/artemis-fowl-1297946/) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 12 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/artemis-fowl-review-family-fantasy-adventure-is-missing-the-magic-a4467416.html) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jun/11/artemis-fowl-review-judi-dench-kenneth-branagh-eoin-colfer-novels) ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 12 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-artemis-fowl.html) ## IndieWire — Kate Erbland Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/artemis-fowl-review-ya-adaptation-disney-1202236335/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kevin Crust Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-06-11/artemis-fowl-disney-review) ## Slant Magazine Rating 1/4. 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-kenneth-branagh-artemis-fowl-is-a-cgi-orgy-that-goes-nowhere/) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/artemis-fowl-review-an-artemisfire-for-disney-plus/) ## The New York Times — Ben Kenigsberg Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/movies/artemis-fowl-review.html) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/artemis-fowl) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/artemis-fowl-review-disney-plus-1234631330/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/artemis-fowl-review/5150507.article) ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★☆☆☆☆. 12 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/artemis-fowl-review-this-is-a-movie-murder-most-fowl-75n7rplsn) ## Den of Geek — Rosie Fletcher Rating 3 out of 5. 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/artemis-fowl-review-disney-kenneth-branagh/) ## Polygon — Karen Han Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](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 Rating 2/5. 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a32833177/artemis-fowl-review-disney-plus/) ## HeyUGuys — Linda Marric Rating 2/5. 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/artemis-fowl-review/) ## The Wrap — Steve Pond Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.thewrap.com/artemis-fowl-film-review-theres-not-enough-magic-in-kenneth-branaghs-fantasy-adventure/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://deadline.com/video/artemis-fowl-review-kenneth-branagh-josh-gad-ferdia-shaw-disney/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating F. 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://collider.com/artemis-fowl-review-disney-plus/) ## Consequence Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 12 June 2020. 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 the review](https://consequence.net/2020/06/film-review-artemis-fowl/) ## /Film — Hoai-Tran Bui Rating 1/10. 11 June 2020. 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 the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/574590/artemis-fowl-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/artemis-fowl.md