What if Santa Claus wasn't rotund and tinkering with toys in a quaint North Pole, but an absolutely jacked presidential figure running a glimmering, high-tech frozen metropolis? Red One offers a surprisingly clever take on Christmas mythology. The big-budget action-comedy delivers the requisite popcorn entertainment with visual splendor, but also succeeds in building its own new universe with truly memorable characters. Actors Dwayne Johnson and a hilarious Chris Evans play well off each other when the narrative runs sluggish during overextended scenes.
We're first introduced to a young Jack O'Malley (Wyatt Hunt) at his family's Christmas party. He's the product of a broken home, already has a sarcastic disposition, and doesn't believe in Santa Claus. He brands the other kids chumps for believing such a ridiculous fable. How can one guy travel around the world in one night and sneak into billions of homes undetected with a reindeer-powered sled? What do you even feed flying reindeer?
Years later, the adult Jack (Evans) has grown into a con man and a jerk. He purposely avoids interacting with his preteen son (Wesley Kimmel); Jack acknowledges being a bad influence and never wanted to be a parent. He's also a genius hacker known as "The Wolf" in criminal circles. He's got an especially valuable skill — Jack can find anyone for the right price. He's just been paid a hefty sum for a strange job by an anonymous buyer. Jack couldn't care less who hires him. All he wants is cash to fuel his gambling habit.
Charismatic Leads Bring a Wonderfully Imaginative Script to Life
- Release Date
- November 15, 2024
- Cast
- Dwayne Johnson , Chris Evans , J.K. Simmons , Lucy Liu , Kiernan Shipka , Bonnie Hunt , Kristofer Hivju , Nick Kroll , Wesley Kimmel , Mary Elizabeth Ellis , Wyatt Hunt , Lanz Duffy , Marc Evan Jackson , Ashleigh Domangue , Cody Easterbrook , Jon Rudnitsky , Morla Gorrondona , Jenna Kanell , Rod Maxwell , Fedor Steer , Octavia Grace , Matthew Zuk , Cora Kass , Ahmad Ghafouri , Jeff Chase
- Runtime
- 123 Minutes
- Production Company
- Seven Bucks Productions, Amazon Studios, The Detective Agency, Chris Morgan Productions
- Screenwriter Chris Morgan is very creative with a radically different interpretation of established lore.
- J.K. Simmons is brilliant in the role of Santa.
- Too many subplots and supporting characters overwhelm the film.
- A disappointing over-reliance on CGI.
Meanwhile, at a local mall, Santa Claus (J. K. Simmons) dutifully listens to children's Christmas wishes. Callum Drift (Johnson), the Chief E.L.F. — a Secret Service-esque organization tasked with protecting Santa — makes sure no one skips the line and that every cookie is sniffed for poison. He watches in disgust as spoiled kids and their rotten parents fight over presents. Callum has had enough. This will be his last Christmas after hundreds of years at Santa's side. As the titular Red One, Santa's call sign, takes off from a local airport with a fighter jet escort, the North Pole's security barrier is breached by a team of commandos who lie in wait for their target.
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The rub is that Santa's kidnapped and Callum needs Jack to find him before Christmas is ruined. That simple premise opens the door for a radically different interpretation of established lore. Screenwriter Chris Morgan (of the Fast & Furious franchise and Shazam! Fury of the Gods), who also worked with Evans on the vastly underrated Cellular, gets top marks for creativity. He keeps the general Santa Claus concept, but doesn't hold anything else sacred and untouchable. Morgan crafts an entirely new imagining of a known commodity with fantastic execution.
Simmons is brilliant as an absolutely shredded Santa running a slick Christmas operation. Scenes of him working out and getting spotted by Callum are laugh out loud funny. But he's still all heart and exudes a caring warmness that engenders complete loyalty. His millions of workers, which include all types of kooky critters, see him as more than a leader with a critical job. How many employees love their corporation's CEO? Morgan and director Jake Kasdan (Orange County, the Jumanji franchise) allow Simmons to make Santa his own, and then surround him with an ensemble that fits his personality like a glove. Mrs. Claus (Bonnie Hunt) isn't just the doting wife, but a sharp CTO making sure everything runs smoothly.
Red One Has Too Many Plots & Too Many People
Red One does stumble somewhat in its attempt to jam every new toy into an already stuffed gift box. This is obviously the first film in a franchise with likely spin-offs for the supporting cast. Lucy Liu co-stars as Zoe Harlow, the Director of M.O.R.A, Red One has no shortage of acronyms, a powerful and clandestine agency that polices magical creatures. She, Krampus (Kristofer Hivju), Santa's clouting sibling, and the villainous Grýla (a badass Kiernan Shipka), have lengthy subplots that deviate from the primary story arc to build their own unique exposition. The result is a film that's a hair over two hours because it's too busy introducing everyone at a crowded party. The characters are well-acted and likable, but tread dull with too much screen time.
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You can see where the money was spent on visual effects. Callum, Santa, and the E.L.F. butt-kickers have extraordinary abilities that explain how they can do such a monumental job. One in particular is used throughout as the primary action vehicle. Red One is loaded with vehicle chases, bad guy beatdowns, and a menagerie of digital accomplices. It is admittedly CGI heavy but accomplishes the overall fighting goal. The Snow Men aren't friendly, but not too scary for younger tykes. There's just enough violence to satiate all age groups without being too graphic. That said, Red One does earn its PG-13 rating. These elves definitely fill the swear jar with naughty dialogue.
Red One is a production of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions, Chris Morgan Productions, and The Detective Agency. It will be released theatrically on November 15th from Amazon MGM Studios.
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