Has there been any movie that has a bigger gap of opinions between professional film critics and the general public?
I first saw “Red One” at a press screening nearly two weeks ago. Coming off “Heretic” and “Here” reviews, and onto “Wicked,” I ended up sitting this one out earlier, even though I was tempted to write a review. Then I've noticed that, while critics regard this as a lump of coal, the audience raved about it. And I feel like I've had to say something anyway... I'm firmly on the fan camp.
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“Red One” has never tried to be more than what is – a fun, brainless holiday movie. Even the bonkers of a trailer shows it all. What the trailer doesn't show is that the movie is packed with even more special effects, has a pretty cohesive story overall, and dare I say, a sweet message. Yes, it's obviously a cash grab aiming for more than stocking stuffers - overstuffed with CGI creatures, loud and bloated, over-the-top wacky and sappy, but that's what makes it brainless fun.
Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson, “Jungle Cruise”) is commander of the ELF (Enforcement, Logistics and Fortification), a Secret Service-type of agency headquartered in the North Pole, where Santa Claus (St. Nick, J.K. Simmons) is based in. After guarding Santa for hundreds of years, and seeing people's bad behavior, Callum has become really jaded. It's too many people on the naughty list than the nice list. He's told Nick that, after this Christmas, he's done and will be retiring.
On Christmas Eve, Santa is suddenly missing. Since Santa has been kidnapped, MORA (Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority), the organization that monitors mythical creatures is now involved. Zoe (Lucy Liu), the head of MORA, and Callum, are determined to find Santa in time.
Not only for Santa's safety, the last thing Zoe wants to do is to have to explain to kings and queens, prime ministers and presidents, parents and children all of the world why their Christmas is ruined and there are no gifts under their collective trees. There is no substitute for Nick; it's his wise and compassionate spirit that makes him the one and only Santa Claus.
Imagine a sophisticated secret society like Wakanda (“Black Panther”). With its super high tech secretive operations, Callum and his team, with the help of captured hacker Jack O'Malley (Chris Evans, “Captain America” series, “The Avengers” series), are eventually able to track down the kidnapping to the White Witch (Gryla, Kieran Shipka).
A complete Christmas skeptic Jack's mouth-gaping reactions of the eye-popping E.L.F. and MORA, and the North Pole – all turn out to be real – are made for laughs. Along with his ex-wife, Chris tries to co-parent his young son, Dylan (Wesley Kimmel), although he's more of an absentee parent. Suffice to say, Chris is on Santa's naughty list.
The folklore here dives into Santa's background and his estranged relationship with Krampus (Kristofer Hivju), his devil-like, horned brother, as well as Gryla. Krampus and the White Witch want to punish misbehaved adults and kids alike... permanently.
Considering that the bar is very low for the definition of misbehaving, that would be the majority of the world's population. To Callum's and Jack's chagrin, they must work together and beat the Christmas clock to prevent mass imprisonment.
When Chris hopelessly finds himself and his son trapped at the hands of the White Witch, he realizes that he can still makes a choice to be good and breaks free, in more ways than one. The morale of the story is, regardless of which situation you are in, you can still make conscious choices. The nice impact is not lost on Callum, and in turn, he realizes his purpose again.
For a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, Christmas is a serious business here. The Marvel-ized action is laden with neat special effects. It goes beyond murderous snowmen. The chase scenes through enclosed glass slide, snowmobile, drone and jet in a wintry night are off the rail. Most memorable goes to the sleigh ride pulled by flying reindeers with illuminated antlers speeding off a suspended runway into the night skies.
With a twist on the mythology, "Red One's" action-and-gadget packed, comedic Mission Impossible-style Santa movie will put you in an early holiday cheer. And if the child in you ever wonder how Santa can drop off gifts to billions of people around the world at precise places and moments in one night, you'll be in for a fantastical holiday treat!
