Red One

Red One (2024): A Holiday Action-Comedy Adventure

Red One is a 2024 American holiday action-comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Chris Morgan, based on an original story by Hiram Garcia. The film stars Dwayne Johnson as Callum Drift, the head of North Pole security, and Chris Evans as Jack O'Malley, a notorious hacker and bounty hunter. The ensemble cast also includes J.K. Simmons as Santa Claus, Lucy Liu as Zoe Harlow, Kiernan Shipka as the villainous Grýla, Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus, and Kristofer Hivju as Krampus. 

Plot Summary

In Red One, the North Pole's security chief, Callum Drift, is preparing for retirement when Santa Claus (code-named "Red One") is kidnapped by Grýla, a vengeful Christmas witch. Grýla plans to siphon Santa's magic and imprison those on the Naughty List in enchanted snow globes. To rescue Santa and save Christmas, Drift reluctantly teams up with Jack O'Malley, a cynical hacker who unwittingly compromised Santa's location. Their globe-trotting mission pits them against mythological threats, including Grýla's snowmen henchmen, in a race against time to restore holiday cheer. 

Production and Release

Red One was produced by Amazon MGM Studios, Seven Bucks Productions, Chris Morgan Productions, and The Detective Agency. Principal photography took place from October 2022 to February 2023, with filming locations including Atlanta. The film was released theatrically by Warner Bros. Pictures internationally on November 6, 2024, and in the United States by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on November 15, 2024. It became available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video on December 12, 2024.

Reception

Despite its star-studded cast and high production values, Red One received mixed reviews from critics. The film holds a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 184 reviews, indicating generally unfavorable reviews. Critics praised the performances of Johnson and Evans but criticized the film's overreliance on CGI and lack of cohesive storytelling.