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Review: ‘Red One’ Doesn’t Achieve Christmas Classic Status, but Older Kids will still Delight in this Mash-Up of ‘Fast & Furious’ and ‘The Santa Clause’
November 14, 2024Ben MK
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'Tis the season for holiday movies; and when it comes to films that put audiences in the spirit, there's truly something for everyone. Whether it's family comedies like Home Alone or more unconventional genre fare like Gremlins and Die Hard, there's no shortage of familiar favorites for moviegoers to turn to when the festive season strikes. It's an annual Hollywood tradition that still continues to this day. And with Red One, director Jake Kasdan is adding one more title to that list, in this story of an unlikely duo who must rescue a kidnapped Saint Nicholas and save Christmas. Jack O'Malley (Chris Evans) used to be one of those kids who never believed in Santa Claus. And now that he's an adult, Jack has channeled his cynicism and general distrust of the people around him into a career in crime as one of the world's most notorious hackers. Known only as "The Wolf" to those who admire his work or who have fallen prey to his schemes, Jack has put his particular set of skills to good use, selling his services to the highest bidder and making a fortune from helping all sorts of ne'er-do-wells accomplish their dastardly goals. But when his latest job doing the dirty work for a mysterious employer ends up getting Santa (J.K. Simmons) himself snatched from the North Pole — putting the joy of millions of children around the globe at risk — Jack will find himself recruited by Santa’s number one helper, the head of the E.L.F., Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), as the bickering pair set out to thwart the kidnappers' villainous plot and put Christmas back on track. With less than 24 hours till Christmas Eve and the fate of the planet's most beloved holiday hanging in the balance, Jack and Callum will have to quickly learn to put aside their differences and work together, especially if they're to stay one step ahead of the misguided culprit — an ancient and dangerous, shape-shifting witch named Gryla (Kiernan Shipka), who intends on using Santa's eternal magic to eliminate every single person currently or who has ever been on the naughty list. Little does Gryla realize, though, just how formidable an opponent this pair of scrappy protagonists will prove to be. But will good ultimately triumph over evil in this holiday-themed battle of wills and wits? Or will Gryla and her small army of musclebound, shape-shifting offspring succeed in accomplishing what not even Santa's estranged half-brother, the demonic-looking Krampus (Kristopher Hivju), could bring himself to do — cancelling Christmas cheer for the first time ever in centuries? Written by Chris Morgan, what follows plays like a mash-up of the high-octane Fast & Furious franchise and family-friendly modern classics like The Santa Clause. Yet in spite of its cookie-cutter nature, the egregious usage of CGI, and the cast's phoned-in performances, it's important to remember that the target audience for this movie is, after all, older kids — not scoffing grown-ups who have become accustomed to films with a little more class and nuance. Granted, there's something to be said for the way Red One gleefully throws good taste out the window, sacrificing genuine storytelling for cheap laughs and blatant product placement. Still, as far as the holiday spirit is concerned, its ultimate message does wind up being a fitting one, particularly in today's world, where it can often seem like "peace on earth, goodwill toward men" has been all but forgotten. It all adds up to a movie that falls significantly short of becoming a brand new Christmas fan-favorite, but nonetheless manages to provide just enough mindless entertainment to qualify as decent matinee material. Suffice to say, there are certainly more worthwhile ways to spend an afternoon in a cozy theater this holiday season. For viewers in the mood to watch Captain America and The Rock go toe-to-toe with a trio of angry snowmen on a tropical beach, on the other hand, the choice is painfully obvious. Red One releases November 15th, 2024 from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film has an MPAA rating of PG-13 for action, some violence, and language. Its runtime is 2 hrs. 3 min. |
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