In the ‘Red One,’ Johnson plays a North Pole security agent named Yule McTidington (or possibly Callum Drift). Chris Evans plays a skilled bounty hunter. Together, they must rescue Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons), who has been kidnapped.
Johnson’s and Evans’ characters team up to save Christmas in the movie. They fight buff snowmen, Krampus, and other creatures created with CGI. There is a scene where Johnson’s character turns a toy Hot Wheels car into a real Chevy Corvette, and Evans’ character jokes about wanting a Wonder Woman action figure turned into a real person.
‘Red One’ has received many reviews, but most of them are negative. The reviews are as follows:
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “This holiday entry, which could almost have been called ‘A Fast & Furious Christmas,’ is so ugly, artificial, and overlong that it should cure kids of any belief in magic… ‘Red One’ is the equivalent of a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking.”
Variety notes that the whole movie is a shape-shifter, saying: “The villains are shape-shifters, but the key thing about ‘Red One’ is that the whole movie is a shape-shifter: arduous action jape, low-kitsch Christmas fairy tale, buddy movie, family-reconciliation movie — every quadrant and demo must be served.”
Deadline offers kinder criticism, emphasizing that parents need a reprieve, and notes, “Yes, it’s cheesy, but this movie is best when it leans heavily into the cheese. If that makes your eyes roll, keep in mind this is a Christmas movie ultimately intended for kids who’ve made it all the way through the MCU on Disney+ twice, and their parents now need a reprieve.”
According to The Guardian, which criticized the commercial aspect of the film: “There’s nothing wrong with a big-hearted film for Christmas, but this commercial and formulaic slice of content is a toy destined to be forgotten, not by Boxing Day, but mid-November.”
Empire Online emphasizes the artificiality of the film: “There’s a little bit of heart here, in the story of two people who have lost faith in Christmas for very different reasons, but more often this feels engineered in a lab to provide seasonal spectacle,” while Digital Spy declares, “Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson can’t save [this] festive flop.”
Coming Soon’s review: “This film would have worked if it leaned more into the humor, but it doesn’t muster up more than the occasional chuckle, mainly with Evans responding to the insanity surrounding him. Beyond that, ‘Red One’ won’t be the Christmas classic it hopes to be.” According to IndieWire, “‘Red One’ will make you not only bummed about the holidays ahead but about cinema’s future as well… Make it a Christmas miracle and cross this ‘Red One’ off your list.”
MovieWeb, on the other hand, gives a positive review, saying, “a surprisingly clever Christmas action-comedy.”
Aside from the negative reviews of the movie, there was confusion on set. Rumor has it that Johnson was frequently late to the set, which had a negative impact on the movie’s timeline and finances.
