S Poddar
Reviews of Red One, a holiday action-comedy action film from the studios about Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans have surfaced early, quite unfestive. On this attempt to create another Christmas blockbuster, JK Simmons plays the part of kidnapper victim, Santa Claus. Dwayne Johnson plays Callum Drift, head of North Pole security, and sets out on a mission to save Santa. Chris Evans joins in as Jack O’Malley, a bounty hunter that joins Drift on this holiday rescue with high stakes. Thus far, the star-studded cast hasn’t been enough to change the minds of the critics, as initial reactions have been very negative.
Scathing criticism from IndieWire, deeming Red One as “a charmless, level-four naughty-lister that will make you wish Christmas was canceled.” Pointing to the massive investment Amazon MGM poured into $250 million in a Christmas franchise with a promise of being “Marvel,” one might say it failed to live up to that promise.
Hollywood Reporter had no qualms to add either, stating that this is “ugly, artificial and overlong.” This even went so far as it compared Red One as like “A Fast & Furious Christmas,” as its excessive usage of computer-generated effects makes it like a movie losing the proper true magic. “It’s a prime example of how CG effects have diminished the imagination of many filmmakers,” said the review that calls the film “the equivalent of a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking.”
The Guardian concurred and described the film as “commercial and formulaic.” Their review concluded with a statement that Red One would likely be remembered only until mid-November, since there was nothing warm or nostalgic about holiday classics. Meanwhile, Variety portrayed the movie as a chaotic mix of genres and styles, from buddy movie antics to family-reconciliation drama. “The villains are shape-shifters,” they wrote, “but the whole movie is a shape-shifter. every quadrant and demo must be served.” In a wry holiday nod to excess, the review highlighted the attempt at retrofitting Christmas into high-concept spectacle. Vulture’s review was almost as pointed, comparing the thing to a cable marathon-familiar, over-engineered, and something like in Jingle All The Way. They quipped that Red One felt like a recycled holiday movie, only with the witch thrown into the fray played by Kiernan Shipka.
The film wasn’t an outright pan. TheWrap scored it fairly balanced with three stars. The review stated that there was nothing new in terms of plot but maintained a brisk storytelling style that didn’t make the movie boring to sit through. The publication admired the ensemble cast and felt the action sequences were lively; overall, they gave the movie a slight above-average rating for an action-comedy.
More reflective, Deadline saw potential in the holiday action franchise, as cinematic universes are in vogue and intellectual properties already abound. They cited that Red One could go on to become much more exciting in its sequels and with Krampus, in particular, being used so playfully to weave in holiday myths. “Whereas the Christmas cinematic universe might make eyes roll in the first instance, there is a refreshing spin on lesser-known holiday lore, the review said.
Despite the mixed-to-negative reception, Red One is set to drop on November 6 in the UK and November 15 in the US. The holiday season is just around the corner, so there’s still time to decide whether this festive adventure is going to make it onto your watchlist. If you’re planning your movie outings, check out our guide to upcoming releases or browse our picks for the best films currently streaming on Netflix.
