As a gamer with a soft spot for action-packed Christmas movies, I found myself in a peculiar predicament watching Red One. This film, much like The Rock’s physique, is big, bold, and brimming with testosterone. It’s as if someone merged Men In Black with Die Hard, set it in the North Pole, and asked Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans to star.
As the holiday season approaches, we have an exciting new movie titled “Red One” for your viewing pleasure, courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. Starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a rugged character (it’s hard to imagine, I know), this film features him as Callum Drift, the head of North Pole security for the one and only Santa Claus, portrayed by J.K. Simmons. However, just before Christmas Eve, Santa gets abducted, forcing Callum to join forces with hacker Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans) to save the day and Christmas itself. This movie is quite outlandish and I must admit, it’s challenging for me to decide whether to appreciate its absurdity or be baffled by it!
In this film, Santa and his workshop receive an unusual twist. Instead of the traditional image of a plump, elderly man surrounded by tiny, diligent elves, we see a muscular old Santa accompanied by a massive bodyguard. Callum is associated with E.L.F., a group that assists Santa. Though bizarre, these notions are intriguing. The environment remains familiar yet absurdly outlandish. Everybody in the North Pole seems to be pumped full of testosterone. Regrettably, this movie fails to capitalize on such an interesting concept, instead opting for a grim, action-thriller tone reminiscent of Jason Bourne.
In Red One, there’s an abundance of vibrant, imaginative beings for amusement, but it stops there. The film resembles a festive version of Men In Black, where Dwayne Johnson’s character assumes the role typically played by Tommy Lee Jones/Agent K. Callum, an ancient figure in the Christmas world, seems disillusioned with the grown-ups he perceives as mismanaging Christmas. Johnson delivers a similar seriousness in his performance as he did in Black Adam. He’s stern, battle-hardened, and well-versed in all the technology that powers the North Pole.
In contrast to The Rock, Evans takes on a role as an antagonist or counterpart. Jack finds himself entangled in a scheme aimed at recovering Santa. After spending a decade portraying Captain America, it appears that Evans is relishing the opportunity to play unscrupulous characters like Johnny Storm and Lucas Lee. His character shares similarities with male leads from the ’90s, being an absent father who seeks to make amends for lost time with his son around Christmas. The bond between him and his young son Dylan adds depth to his performance. He serves as a comedic element, much like Will Smith’s Agent J, by navigating and reacting to the absurdity of the storyline.
As a die-hard fan, I’m keen on exploring the buddy-cop vibe between them in Red One. The intriguing contrast between their personalities breeds some witty exchanges and humor, yet it fails to develop into something profound or impactful. They make a passable duo, but the movie could’ve used more moments that underscore their effectiveness as a team despite their differences. We catch glimpses of this synergy, but it needed more depth to etch them into our memories as an unforgettable team. Additionally, the absurdity and humor in Red One’s universe are off the charts, but the film could have leveraged more comedic scenes to fully exploit its zany setting.
It’s strange to see how seriously the movie takes everything. There are very serious scenes that give us an idea of how disillusioned Callum has become, but we can’t have a serious scene where dialogue starts with lines like, “Santa would always say…” The movie knows it’s a ridiculous film, but it also tries to play too many moments with self-seriousness rather than fully embracing a comedic tone. It wants to be an epic blockbuster, but it’s too absurd. For example, we’ll have these scenes next to scenes where Callum and Jack battle giant evil snowmen, complete with carrot noses.
When viewing Red One, it’s hard to accept that this is a genuine film production. One aspect that leaves you astonished is the reported $250 million budget for its creation. It’s downright shocking considering many scenes, particularly those filmed during the daylight outdoors, appear flat. The action sequences, too, are lackluster as they seem to feature digital characters performing exaggerated actions within a digital setting. The overall experience leaves you with doubts about what you’re watching. While the action is tolerable while you’re experiencing it, there’s nothing that stands out compared to action scenes in other superior films.
The movie Red One incorporates recurring traits of established characters and a rather predictable antagonist. Many of Johnson’s dialogues appear unrefined, resembling early drafts. The humor is lacking in creativity, which is unfortunate as holiday action films have been successful for years, with classics like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, and even the latest Violent Night setting a high bar. Unfortunately, this film seems to draw heavily from Ant-Man, as Callum’s technology shares striking similarities. The movie could have been more entertaining if it emphasized humor more, but it falls short of generating consistent laughter, with most humor coming from Evans reacting to the absurdity around him. Ultimately, Red One may not live up to its aspiration of becoming a beloved Christmas film.
SCORE: 5/10
According to the review guidelines on ComingSoon, a rating of 5 means “Average” or “Mediocre.” In this case, the film’s positive aspects are balanced by its drawbacks, resulting in an overall neutral assessment.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our Red One review.
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2024-11-06 08:10