Everyone loves a good Christmas film. The Holiday, The Grinch, The Polar Express, A Christmas Carol, you name it, there is an endless list of classics to watch every festive season on the small screen. We do still get the odd Christmas film or two in cinema’s but in recent years there has been a little less magic on the big screen. Last Christmas was probably the last big screen Christmas film that made an impact on the season, but now we get another film to add onto this list longer than Santa’s nice list with Red One.
Made by Amazon MGM Studios, Red One is a film designed for modern audiences. Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans are stars of the film, and much like their previous superhero roles in Black Adam and the Captain America films, this film has that energy and vibe as these larger than life characters are brought to life in a world where mythological creatures do exist. Jack O’Malley, played by Evans, is our eyes and ears into this magical world when he accidentally gives the location of Santa Claus to an unknown source which he was paid to do. He is kidnapped by the head of security at the North Pole by Callum Drift, played by Johnson. Drift and O’Malley are forced to team up to find who stole Santa Claus and why. J.K. Simmons has bulked out big time to play a more lean version of Saint Nicholas, with Lucy Lui playing the head of the organisation who monitors the activity of mythological creatures.
The set up is enticing and the world building elements are similar to that of the recent Jumanji films, which is no coincidence considering all these films were made by filmmaker Jake Kasdan. His humour, heart and cinematic eye are all here in Red One in a film that does feel very much like a Jumanji film. There’s hidden German fortresses where Krampus lives, there’s the North Pole hidden under a dome in a similar style to Wakanda in the Marvel films, and we have a villain who is bent on reminding people to be nice this Christmas. There is a lot going on in the film, and the film moves swiftly but the writing doesn’t always land. The humour is there but not all of it lands. The scene at Krampus’ lair goes on for a bit too long for example. Jack is exactly a likeable character despite Evans attempting his best and Dwayne Johnson is just being Dwayne Johnson.
Red One is very much a safe film. It doesn’t require a lot of attention and it does let you turn off your brain as you get sucked into this film. The magic just doesn’t feel magical either, in a film about Christmas there is only one child actor in the film with Wesley Kimmel as Dylan, Jack’s son. Christmas needs that magical essence and it just forgets that sometimes throughout the story. There are snowmen, reindeer, festive tunes and a lot of nods to the holiday but it feels like they’re only there to remind you this is a Christmas film. Saying that Red One is a fun ride. The action is there, the visuals are pretty great and the story is entertaining to a degree. Red One is a fun film to watch at Christmas but I don’t feel like it will reach the same level as other Christmas classics.
★★★☆☆
3/5
Final Verdict:
Red One sees Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans act as themselves but at Christmas. There’s some hijinks, some adventures and globe-trotting, and a lot of hints at the wintry season. The film tries it best to act like a superhero film with gadgets, suits and gizmos all being worn by Callum Drift to make him feel like a larger than life character. Equally Jack O’Malley is a man caught up in it all but has no real purpose but to move the plot forward. Red One has some charm but it lacks the magic that other Christmas films have. You will have fun and families will feel warm and festive but it feels like this feeling is all too fleeting.
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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