Red One (2024), directed by Jake Kasdan, attempts to deliver a holiday action-comedy spectacle with Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans leading the charge. Despite its promising premise, the film ultimately fails to find its footing, resulting in a disjointed and unsatisfying viewing experience.
Visually, the movie relies heavily on artificial, overly digitized effects. Whether portraying urban chaos, tropical retreats, or the snowy vistas of the North Pole, the sets lack tangible warmth and texture, making the environments feel sterile and disconnected from the holiday spirit. This heavy reliance on CGI detracts from the immersion and fails to evoke the magic typically associated with holiday films.
Narratively, the film oscillates between child-friendly antics and mature humor, creating an inconsistent tone that struggles to engage any specific audience demographic. The story meanders aimlessly, leaving viewers unsure of its direction or target. Coupled with shallow character development, even the star power of Johnson and Evans can’t compensate for the lack of depth and coherence in the screenplay. Their roles are reduced to caricatures, which, combined with a self-aware reliance on genre clichés, diminishes any meaningful audience connection.
Critically, Red One has faced harsh reviews, earning a 33% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences have been somewhat kinder with a 90% score. Many critics have labeled the film as “blandly polished inanity” and a “joyless slog,” lamenting its inability to balance ambition with execution. Despite fleeting moments of charm, the film fails to capture the enduring magic of holiday classics.
In the end, Red One is an ambitious misfire, weighed down by a lack of focus, weak characterization, and formulaic storytelling. While it might provide temporary amusement, it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression on holiday cinema enthusiasts.
