The Netflix arthouse drama "In the Hand of Dante," starring Gal Gadot, has been met with significant criticism from both audiences and film reviewers. Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Julian Schnabel, the film features a prominent cast including Oscar Isaac, Al Pacino, Jason Momoa, Gerard Butler, and John Malkovich.
Critics have described the 153-minute film in various unflattering terms. Decider labeled it a "time-hopping trainwreck" and specifically called out Gadot's "stiff" line delivery. RogerEbert.com characterized the movie as "alternately riveting and dull as dirt." Little White Lies offered a more severe assessment, stating the film "isn't even entertaining enough to count as a compelling disaster" and suggested it contained "multiple career-worst performances" from its ensemble.
Some reviews have drawn comparisons between "In the Hand of Dante" and Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis," which experienced considerable box office difficulties in 2024. However, not all critiques were negative, with The Guardian awarding the film three out of five stars.
The narrative structure of "In the Hand of Dante" interweaves two storylines across the 21st century and the 14th century, with a portion of the film shot in black and white. The contemporary segment is set in early 2000s New York, where an author, Nick Tosches, played by Isaac, is tasked with authenticating a manuscript believed to be from Dante Alighieri. This plotline involves a violent crime caper. The historical segment follows Dante Alighieri, also portrayed by Isaac.
Gadot appears in a dream sequence depicting the goddess Venus nude, emerging from a clam. Audience reactions shared online have been largely unfavorable towards her performance. One viewer commented, "At least we now know that Gal Gadot's a terrible actress no matter what era she's thrown into." Another expressed frustration, stating, "I kinda see what they wanted to do with this but the execution was horrible, and get Gal Gadot off the f***ing screen. She gets money for doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING."
Gadot has faced prior criticism for her roles in films such as "Snow White," "Death on the Nile," and "Heart of Stone." In the past year, she addressed controversy surrounding comments she made about "anti-Israel sentiment" potentially impacting the box office performance of "Snow White." In an Instagram post, Gadot clarified that her remarks stemmed from an emotional response to feeling criticized as an Israeli rather than solely as an actress, acknowledging that multiple factors influence a film's success.
Regarding her own acting abilities, Gadot has previously stated, "I think I’m solid, I’m alright." She added, "There are those who are more talented than me. But if you cast me, you cast well. Because my biggest strength is that I am not afraid to work hard and that I never let anything stand in my way. I just go, go, go."
Gadot's career breakthrough came with her role as Gisele Yashar in the 2009 film "Fast & Furious." She achieved widespread recognition and A-list status following her performance in the 2017 blockbuster "Wonder Woman." While the sequel, "Wonder Woman 1984," did not achieve similar success, Gadot has had notable roles in the Netflix film "Red Notice" and several "Fast & Furious" sequels.