Director Jake Kasdan’s “Red One” is the latest attempt to reinvent the Christmas movie genre, with a series of explosive action sequences and special effects that threaten to drown out the holiday spirit entirely.
Starring Dwayne Johnson as Santa Claus’s personal bodyguard and Chris Evans as a reluctant sidekick, the $250 million Amazon Studios production is a brash, loud, and at times bewildering blend of action, fantasy, and slapstick humor. But does it succeed in delivering a new holiday classic?
The premise is certainly high-concept: J.K. Simmons plays “Red One,” the code name for a buff, workout-obsessed Santa Claus, whose North Pole HQ is a hyper-advanced technological fortress staffed by diminutive elf workers. When Red One is kidnapped by the dastardly Christmas witch Grýla (played by Kiernan Shipka), it’s up to Johnson’s character Callum Drift and Evans’ Jack O’Malley to team up and rescue him before Christmas is ruined.
“Red One” aspires to be a next-generation Christmas classic,” says Johnson, who also serves as a producer on the film. “But in reality, it often feels like an over-the-top action movie that just happens to take place around the holidays.”
Indeed, the movie’s attempts to blend high-stakes thrills with yuletide whimsy result in a tonally confused hodgepodge that struggles to find the right balance. The film lavishly renders the North Pole setting with dazzling special effects, but its breakneck pacing and emphasis on explosive set pieces leave little room for genuine holiday charm to shine through.
“It’s almost as if the filmmakers were afraid to let the Christmas spirit take center stage,” says film critic Anita Nag. “Every time the movie threatens to become heartwarming or sentimental, it quickly cuts back to car chases and epic fight scenes.”
The rapport between Johnson and Evans, whose mismatched buddy dynamic provides intermittent bursts of humor and likeability, is one of the film’s few redeeming features. “They’re both talented comedic actors, and when the script gives them room to play off each other, the results can be genuinely amusing,” Nag notes. “But too often, the movie prioritizes hollow spectacle over genuine character development.”
The supporting cast, which includes Lucy Liu and Bonnie Hunt, also feels underutilized, with their roles often reduced to little more than glorified cameos. And the film’s attempts to weave in additional mythological elements, like the villainous Grýla and her hulking henchman Krampus (played by Kristofer Hivju), only serve to further clutter an already overstuffed narrative.
“‘Red One’ is the cinematic equivalent of throwing every Christmas decoration you own onto a single tree,” says critic Peter Travers. “It’s an excess of holiday iconography that ultimately fails to coalesce into a cohesive or meaningful whole.”
Still, the film does have its moments of holiday cheer, particularly in the scenes featuring Simmons’ avuncular, larger-than-life Santa. While over-the-top, the action sequences undeniably showcase Kasdan’s talent for high-octane set pieces.
“‘Red One’ might satisfy your desire for a Christmas movie that emphasizes spectacle over sentiment,” acknowledges Travers. “But for those hoping for a heartwarming Yuletide tale, this blockbuster-sized adventure is likely to leave you feeling more Grinch than glad tidings.”
Ultimately, “Red One” is a film that seems intent on assaulting the senses rather than warming the heart. Despite its bold and ambitious attempt to redefine the Christmas movie genre, “Red One” may leave many viewers feeling more disappointed than delighted.