Netflix has quietly added the film In the Hand of Dante to its streaming library, but the movie has failed to break into the platform's UK Top 10 despite a star-studded cast led by Oscar Isaac. The film, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Julian Schnabel, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September 2025 to poor reviews and has not gained traction since its Netflix release on June 24, 2026.
Ambitious but Incomprehensible
The film, which spent 15 years in development, tells an ambitious story intertwining Italian poet Dante Alighieri with a modern-day journalist. Isaac plays both Dante and journalist Nick Tosches, who investigates a handwritten manuscript of The Divine Comedy that travels from the Vatican library to a New York mob boss. The cast includes Gal Gadot, Gerard Butler, Jason Momoa, Al Pacino, John Malkovich, Franco Nero, and even Martin Scorsese in a cameo.
Critics have described the film as overly indulgent and incomprehensible, drawing comparisons to Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis from 2024. The 153-minute runtime is filled with Dante quotations and a tone that swings between noir, satire, melodrama, and absurdist comedy. One critic noted, 'It’s already quite a lot to contend with, without the onslaught of Dante quotations pelted at the audience.'
Mixed Performances
Despite the chaotic narrative, some performances have been praised. Al Pacino delivers an extended cameo as Nick's uncle, showcasing his ability to navigate the film's confusing shifts between high drama and comedy. Gerard Butler also stands out in a dual role as a gangster and an oddly Scottish Italian pope, having 'made the decision that the film is a comedy,' which makes his performances work better. Oscar Isaac gives a committed performance, particularly as the sleazy journalist Nick Tosches, though he is in almost every scene while the rest of the film 'is largely on fire around him.'
Gal Gadot's roles as both Dante's wife and Nick's assistant are described as underwritten and over-the-top, and she fails to shine. The film also features violent scenes, including a mafia execution and a fingernail-tearing sequence, which add to its disjointed tone.
Verdict
In the Hand of Dante is a sprawling, overly ambitious mess that is hard to follow, despite strong efforts from some cast members. It may appeal to viewers who enjoyed the perplexing excess of Megalopolis. The film is streaming exclusively on Netflix now.
