Red One (2024) Movie Review

Genre : Fantasy, Action, Comedy

Runtime : 2 hours 2 minutes

Rating : PG-13

Distributor : Amazon MGM Studios

Story Overview

In Red One, Santa Claus (code name "Red One") has been kidnapped just before Christmas. North Pole’s head of security, Callum Drift, must join forces with the world's most notorious bounty hunter to save him and keep the holiday spirit alive.

Review

Dwayne Johnson stars as Callum Drift. His main job is to protect Santa Claus. With a rising number of people on the “naughty list,” Callum plans to resign, feeling like the magic of Christmas is fading. However, with Christmas only a day away, Santa has been kidnapped.

Meanwhile, we meet Jack (Chris Evans), a level-four "naughty lister" and a bounty hunter who trusts no one. He never believed in Santa since he was a kid, questioning how Santa could visit every house in one night and what fuels his flying reindeer. Now a bounty hunter, a great tracker and a father, he hardly spends time with his son, thinking he's a bad influence.

The Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority (MORA) detains him, suspecting he might know about Santa’s kidnapping. This brings Callum and Jack together on a wild adventure to find Santa.

Performance

Chris Evans brings humor to the screen, delivering most of the comedic moments. J.K. Simmons, though limited in screen time did a great job as the athletic Santa who firmly believes in the good in people. Dwayne Johnson plays his typical action-hero role, which is still enjoyable to watch.

Action and Themes

The dynamic between Callum and Jack gives the film a “buddy cop” vibe, with Callum struggling to see good in people and Jack a rebellious “naughty lister.” The action scenes are plentiful, filled with exciting chases, mythical creatures, and clever CGI effects, like toy cars turning into real ones and futuristic North Pole settings.

World Building

One of the highlights of the film is its creative world-building, which adds a fresh twist to Christmas mythology. Santa's existence is an open secret to the government but not to the general public. It’s fun to see Santa still interacting with children in malls. It's fun to watch how the film puts all the myths we know about Christmas and put together in this imaginary world.

Christmas Message

At its core, the story carries a Christmas message, reminding us of the importance of kindness and Santa’s enduring faith in people. Though the plot isn’t especially deep, it’s an action-packed Christmas film with heartwarming moments. There are many subplots and follow predictable plot but they don’t feel overwhelming. Despite some unrealistic stunts, like Jack surviving extreme situations, the film is entertaining and embraces the holiday spirit.

My Screen Times Scores - 6

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