Even before the movie started rolling out in press screenings last week, the new Johnny Depp action comedy 'Mortdecai' was already rumoured to be a stinker. This is probably due to fatigue over Depp's continuous choice of quirky characters, something that started back in 2003 with his Oscar nominated turn in the first 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie. 

Johnny Depp in 'Mortdecai'
Johnny Depp in 'Mortdecai'

But after relentlessly eccentric turns in four more 'Pirates' movies, plus the likes of 'Alice in Wonderland', 'The Lone Ranger' and 'Into the Woods', critics and audiences are getting tired of his increasingly cartoonish shtick. Indeed, 'Mortdecai' has been labelled by critics as a "psychotically unfunny" "vanity project", and "a career low" for Depp.

Watch the trailer for 'Mortdecai' here:

In Empire, Ali Plumb touches on one of the key problems with a wacky romp adapted from a series of beloved novels: "Though the books are brilliant, Depp's attempt to make his own Terry Thomas movie feels tired and more than a little tortured."

More: 'Mortdecai': Has Johnny Depp Already Made the Worst Film of 2015?

The New York Times' Stephen Holden writes, "Mr Depp's wizardly expertise at disappearing into a character is intact. But what if that character isn't funny and hasn't an ounce of charm?"

More: Jonny Depp "Doesn't Give A F**k" About His Box Office Flops

And the reliable Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian is even more blunt: "The poster is awful. The premise is awful. To be frank, quite a lot about this is awful."

More: Is 'Into the Woods' Johnny Depp's Best Movie in 10 Years?

While most critics admit that there are some funny moments in the film, whether audiences will give the film a chance is still to be seen.