Movie Review: ‘Red One’

You better watch out. You better not cry. You better hit the gym! Red One is kicking off the holiday movie season with this non-traditional, machismo-filled Christmas action comedy that is beyond over-the-top in almost every way.

Santa’s (J.K. Simmons) disillusioned head of security, Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson) requests to retire after one last Christmas run with the big guy. Disaster strikes as a black ops team abducts Santa, aka security designate “Red One”, on Christmas Eve from the North Pole. With the help of M.O.R.A. (Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority) led by Director Zoe Harlow (Lucy Liu), the duo encounter unbelievable creatures of legend and embark on a globe-spanning journey

Let’s get one thing clear right out of the gates – Red One will not be for everyone. It’s far too silly and non-traditional to make your list for a feel-good annual viewing while decorating your tree. It’s also too adult in sections for the young kids and too juvenile in other portions for the adults. That doesn’t mean the film can’t be enjoyable if you let yourself buy the ticket for the polar ride.

Red One opens with an amusing scene, clearly establishing Chris Evan’s Jack O’Malley as a not-so-good guy – capped off with Jack literally stealing candy from a baby. Evans goes all in with his performance and it’s great to see him getting back his comedic chops. Thanks to J.K. Simmons, the most badass and ripped-looking Santa ever, also manages to be tender and note-perfect as the jolly one in another example of Simmons shining in a role that many actors would consider beneath them.

Dwayne Johnson’s Drift introduces the elaborate action set pieces, filled with goofy weapons, high-speed chases, and superhero-styled fight choreography. There’s plenty of ingenuity in each sequence, all of which are executed with glee as if conceived by a child playing with action figures. However, the action never gets better than the first major sequence with Drift chasing the black ops teams through the gorgeously designed metropolis of The North Pole.

Jake Kasdan, the director of the recent Dwayne Johnson Jumanji reboots, brings that same kind of frenetic feel that made those films a success, but also unfortunately has a similar quickly forgettable vibe. There is some intriguing world-building in Red One with M.O.R.A. involving different holidays and mythologies that could be interesting to see future films explore. An early, quick cameo of a beautifully designed Headless Horseman shows great potential for a Halloween-themed sequel.

On the topic of mythological beings, Game of Thrones star Kristofer Hivju is the breakout character of Red One as the swarthy brother of Santa: the evil Krampus. His castle and all the monsters and creatures within it are the definite high mark of the film. Each shot brimming with eye-popping make-up effects and CG creatures that compromise his monster rogues’ gallery. Although Krampus, sadly, is not the Big Bad of Red One, rather it’s the winter witch Grýla, played with delightful relish by The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina‘s star Kiernan Shipka. The actress makes the most of it, but the story keeps her boxed into cliched antagonist motivations. Lucy Liu fares similarly in her role as Director Zoe, seemingly there only to use the actress’s fight choreography skills so Zoe can kick ass in the climax of the film.

This film will be an acquired taste for a select demographic, but the likable cast, neat world designs, and clever action outweigh the story cliches and hammy dialogue. Red One is bonkers enough to make you giggle, giving you a break from the usual holiday flick – if you don’t mind a Christmas movie with a side of overly elaborate big-budget superhero-style action.

Score: 3.5 out 5