Red One Movie Review: An action-fantasy-comedy starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Chris Evans – what could possibly go wrong? If you’ve watched their recent films, you already know the answer. Or rather, you know what’s missing – a soul. And since Red One is also a Christmas movie, some of that festive cheer is also drained by the corporate executives who greenlit this project, banking on fans flocking to it simply because it pairs Black Adam and Captain America on a mission to rescue Santa Claus before Christmas is ruined. It has a fun concept, but sadly, it’s not a fun film. ‘Red One’ OTT Release Date: Here’s When and Where To Watch Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans’ Christmas Film Online!
Santa Claus – aka St Nicholas, aka Red One – (an ever-reliable JK Simmons, doing his best to salvage the movie in his limited screentime). He’s in his usual holiday-work mode, asking kids what toys they want while doubling as a mall Santa (exactly how many malls does he manage to visit?). Meanwhile, Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson) is the head of ELF, the security outfit protecting Santa, a job he’s held for over 500 years. But Callum is burnt out by humanity’s increasing lack of decency and wants to quit. It makes you wonder what his mental state was during events like the Holocaust or when genocides unfolded in places beyond the USA.
Red One persuades Callum to stick it out for one more Christmas, but things take a turn when Santa is kidnapped. Callum must find out who’s behind the abduction and rescue his boss before Christmas Eve. With the help of Zoe Harlow (Lucy Liu) the head of MORA (Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority), he discovers that the breach happened because of a hacker, Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans), who stole and leaked information without realising it contained the whereabouts of Santa at the North Pole. Reluctantly, Callum teams up with Jack, embarking on an adventure that’s mostly ho-hum with a dose of hokum.
‘Red One’ Movie Review – Fun on Paper, Dull On Screen
(Spoilers ahead) Jack O’Malley is introduced as a thoroughly unlikable character – a man who steals lollipops from babies, neglects his son Dylan (Wesley Kimmel), and ranks as a Level 4 on Santa’s Naughty List (serious question – what level is their current president on?). Naturally, it’s no spoiler to say he’ll undergo a predictable redemption arc. Similarly, Callum’s disillusionment with humanity (though not with kids) is a setup for him to rediscover his faith in people by the film’s end.
A Still From Red One
But the issue isn’t the predictability of these arcs – it’s how the film gets there. To its credit, the concept allows for some entertaining moments. A ripped Santa, trolls on the internet who are literal trolls, a polar bear who is a bruiser and a fight involving abominable snowmen add occasional sparks. The film’s standout sequence comes near the end, with Santa delivering gifts parkour-style.
Unfortunately, these moments are too few and far between. For the most part, the movie is a colourless, joyless ride featuring two grown men bickering like children. It even borrows ideas from other films, such as toys magically transforming into functioning vehicles (Cap, make sure your fan, Ant-Man, doesn’t sue you!). Johnson plays his role as he always does, without moving an additional facial muscle than needed. Evans plays the role as Chris Evans does when he is cast in a cash-grab comedy, see Ghosted. Worse, the two leads share zero chemistry, making their banter more grating than amusing.
A Still From Red One
Even detours of fantasy in their road adventure – like a visit to Krampus’ residence – feel like a soulless reworking of Percy Jackson movies. This is surprising since Red One is directed by Jake Kasdan, who had once managed to make the reboot of the Jumanji film with a surprisingly enjoyable flair and followed it up with a decent sequel.
‘Red One’ Movie Review – Loophole-Riddled Screenplay
Gryla (Kiernan Shipka, channelling her Sabrina persona) is the main villain here, a witch determined to punish naughty people to create a better world. While this could have been an intriguing antagonist if Red One was made two decades back when we weren’t that much subjected to a plethora of super-powered villains with a messiah complex. The action scenes, save for the snowman fight, are uninspired, particularly the climax, which feels dull and lifeless and sneakily dark to hide the CGI flaws, where Callum and Jack (a mere human the film conveniently forgets isn’t super-powered) face off against Gryla and her “sons” with predictable help from supporting characters you knew would show up. Ghosted Movie Review: Chris Evans and Ana de Armas Bring No Chemistry in This Excruciatingly Dull Action-Comedy.
A Still From Red One
And while it might seem silly to look for logic in a magical story, the lore Red One attempts to establish is riddled with holes. For instance, Gryla’s plan involves trapping naughty people in magical globes for eternal solitude, yet they allow the prisoners to talk to one another through their globe prisons. What kind of solitude is that? Also, if naughty people were supposed to be those globes, then it is not explained how Dylan remains trapped there despite being a kid (particularly since the key to escape is simply being nicer). That’s not magic; that’s simply lazy, convenient writing there.
‘Red One’ Movie Review – Final Thoughts
Red One tries to be a Christmas movie that tries to tick all the boxes – action, comedy, family, fantasy, redemption—but ends up being a flashy gift box that is filled with empty air. There are occasional fun touches, but the main selling point – a fantasy buddy comedy involving The Rock and The Cap – is where the movie loses all its festive cheer. Red One is streaming on Prime Video.
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Dec 12, 2024 06:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).