“Red One” is Amazon’s latest attempt to create a supersized Christmas movie, mixing high-budget action with holiday cheer. Directed by Jake Kasdan, known for the Jumanji reboot, and written by Chris Morgan, the movie aims to reinvent the holiday genre with a superhero-style Santa Claus. The film stars Dwayne Johnson as Callum Drift, Santa’s tough bodyguard, and features an ensemble cast including Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons, and Lucy Liu.
In one of the film’s more bizarre moments, Johnson’s character faces off with a witch-possessed mercenary (Nick Kroll) and ice-sword-wielding CGI snowmen on the sandy beaches of Aruba. This is just one of many wild, over-the-top scenes that characterize the movie, which tries to give a fresh spin to the Christmas tradition. But while it may look flashy, the magic of the season is overshadowed by too many effects and convoluted world-building.
The film imagines Santa as a super-competent, army-like figure who not only runs the North Pole like a military operation but also bench presses and counts carbs. Played by J.K. Simmons, this version of Santa answers critics of his real existence with a tough, superhuman version of the jolly old elf. But the big question is: who exactly asked for a Marvel-ized Santa?
The movie’s plot centers on the kidnapping of Santa, leading Callum to team up with Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans), a down-on-his-luck hacker with a complicated past. Evans’ portrayal of O’Malley, a “level-four naughty-lister,” adds some comedic energy to the film, but it still doesn’t save the movie from feeling overstuffed. The action-packed rescue mission brings in a Christmas Witch, Gryla (Kiernan Shipka), and even Krampus (Kristofer Hivju), Santa’s brother. However, all these elements, alongside trolls, ogres, and a headless horseman, feel like too much crammed into one story.
“Red One” seems to be trying too hard to blend the whimsy of Christmas with action-packed thrills, but it never quite strikes the right balance. While there’s potential for a fun holiday film, the over-reliance on CGI and excessive world-building dilutes what could have been a charming take on the Christmas genre. If anything, it leaves you nostalgic for simpler, more straightforward holiday movies starring Dwayne Johnson, like The Tooth Fairy.
Despite its star power and expansive ambition, “Red One” feels like an unwanted high-priced Christmas gift—shiny on the outside but lacking the warmth inside. With its bloated storyline and too many characters, this is one holiday movie that could have benefited from a little less spectacle and a little more heart.
Rating: 1.5/4 stars
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for action, some violence, and language
Running time: 133 minutes
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
