Films about Christmas and everything related to it are a separate category that Hollywood has been actively exploiting for many years. Formats and plots can be very different, sometimes they are quite violent, as was the case with Violent Night 2022. But even a wild and bloody movie about Christmas will always be primarily about the holiday, so it won't be difficult to recharge your batteries for the celebration.
Red One is also trying to get you in the holiday spirit, but for some reason, it was released in early November. It seems like a simple shift in the premiere date. However, it makes a huge number of the story's flaws immediately apparent, and it is impossible to forgive them.
| Title | Red One |
| Genre | action, action, adventure, comedy |
| Director | Jake Kasdan |
| Starring | Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Gant, J.K. Simmons and others |
| Studios | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions, Chris Morgan Productions, The Detective Agency, Amazon MGM Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Timing | 2 hours 3 minutes |
| Year | 2024 |
| Website | IMDb |
Jack O'Malley (Chris Evans) is hardly a decent man. He takes on any illegal job that requires obtaining information for dubious clients, and he doesn't pay much attention to his own son. However, during one of the orders, he crossed the line. Because of his actions, the villains kidnap St. Nicholas (J.K. Simmons), so Christmas is in jeopardy. Now Jack will have to cooperate with Santa's chief assistant, Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), who is disappointed in Christmas because of the impudence of adults. Together, they need not only to find a common language, but also to re-believe in the spirit of the holiday that can unite everyone.
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Still from the movie Red One[/caption]
Recently, Dwayne Johnson has rarely appeared in films that can be positively reviewed by film critics. Yes, they are fun, well-made, and aimed at a mass audience, but they are too simple and tangibly pointless. Red Notice, Rampage, Skyscraper and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle are prime examples of Johnson's typical work. He also plays almost the same character everywhere. A harsh, sturdy man who overcomes all trials, doesn't get along well with people, but actually has his own experiences and a more vulnerable side of his character. Red One is no exception to this approach.
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Still from the movie Red One[/caption]
It's a very predictable, simple and safe movie, as if it were made according to typical Hollywood templates. Here's a couple of characters who don't like each other at the beginning, but become friends by the end. There will definitely be elements of family drama. The characters should be shown in different situations and locations, where they will gradually look for clues to the main goal. And at the end, the element or phrase that was shown at the beginning should play an important role. Believe me, you know the whole plot even before you watch the first five minutes.
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Still from the movie Red One[/caption]
However, even such a formula could be made interesting. For example, through directing and visual solutions. Or the dialogues and general chemistry between the characters. Or at least because of the music. There is nothing like that in the movie Red One. It's a bland story that looks like it was made for television or at least Netflix. However, even streaming services regularly allow themselves to produce better works than this.
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Still from the movie Red One[/caption]
When you start to think a little bit about everything that happens on the screen, the already shaky structure of the movie finally collapses. After all, it turns out that the ending could have happened almost entirely without the participation of the main characters, that's how bad everything is at the script level. The events take place for their own sake, and the diversity in the film is present only in form, because the locations are really noticeably different. However, on the level of meaning, everything is empty and sad.
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Still from the movie Red One[/caption]
This is despite the fact that the authors are still trying to build a serious setting in which mythological creatures actually exist. Secret organizations, special rules - all this is present in Red One, but it feels superfluous. The movie lacks a lighter attitude toward itself and its characters, which is why it loses a significant amount of charisma.
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Still from the movie Red One[/caption]
But the most interesting thing is that if Red One had been released around Christmas, the reviews would definitely have been more positive, at least a little bit. After all, the general holiday atmosphere around would have brightened up even a frankly bad movie. It is a well-known tactic of producers and film companies to release certain films during specific seasons to get more box office and better critical acclaim.
Red One failed even at this point. So what the film crew was thinking is a separate big question. The result is a movie that has absolutely nothing human, sincere, or real. It looks like it was created by AI or some algorithm from start to finish. If this is the case, then Hollywood should definitely change something in the settings, because the current ones obviously don't work.