It’s almost time for Christmas, and that means a barrage of holiday movies are heading to theaters. One of the first films of the season is Red One, a high-tech, action-packed take on a variety of classic tales. So if you’re ready to get into the Christmas spirit, Red One has you covered. Like almost any Dwayne Johnson movie, don’t think too hard about Red One and it will be a good time at the cinema, if maybe a little longer than it needs to be.
Red One takes place in a world where mythological beings are real. Santa Claus, the Headless Horseman, etc. This isn’t your typical Santa though. Played by J.K. Simmons, old Saint Nick is lean and cut, hitting the gym to rid himself of his trademark belly. The North Pole has been upgraded with futuristic tech, and Santa has a full team of security personnel to make sure Christmas goes down without a hitch.
Heading up Santa’s security detail is Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson). He’s on the verge of retiring, having lost some Christmas spirit in a world that grows increasingly negative. When Santa is kidnapped, Drift must work together with master thief Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans), and Zoe (Lucy Liu), the head of MORA, an organization that keeps watch over the various mythological creatures in the world. Saving Christmas is only part of the job, as Drift will need to find his lost love of Christmas as well.
On the surface, Red One is a fun, if not particularly deep Christmas movie. Director Jake Kasdan definitely channeled his Jumaji experiences into Red One. There’s just enough of a twist on things to modernize old folk tales for 2024. Couple that with Dwayne Johnson’s infamous charisma, and a shady Chris Evans, and there’s a lot to like here. The stacked cast brings an air of sophistication to the proceedings, as each actor is on their A-game here.
Spectacle is the main focus of Red One, and in that department it does not disappoint. Things don’t get as crazy as in a Fast and Furious film, but it’s a big step up from your typical holiday movie. Running just over two hours, it does start to wear on you after a bit. Some scenes are noticeably longer than they need to be, and the film could have easily been cut down to 90 minutes or so without losing anything of significance.
Red One won’t go down as a Christmas classic, or kickstart a new franchise, but there’s plenty of fun to be had with a high-tech, muscle-bound Santa Claus. Most holiday films of this nature don’t hold up, but Red One is entertaining enough to be worth a watch in theaters (IMAX if you can). Don’t go in expecting Shakespeare, and you might come out with a smile on your face, even if you don’t remember much of the film a few hours later.
About Red One
Synopsis: After Santa Claus is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.
Director: Jake Kasdan
Writers: Chris Morgan, Hiram Garcia
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J.K. Simmons
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 2 Hours, 3 Minutes
Bryan Dawson has been writing professionally since the age of 13. He started his career as a video game writer and has since worked for Random House, Prima Games, DirecTV, IGN, AOL, the British Government, and various other organizations. For GNN, Bryan taps into his passion for movies.
