In a new and unique holiday twist, Red One portrays an action-packed Christmas adventure with several fight sequences and reinvented characters. With a star-studded cast that brings both a sense of humor and adventure, Red One is a current and great movie for families over the holidays.
The movie follows two main protagonists after Santa Claus, also known as “Red One”, is kidnapped. The North Pole’s Head of Security, Callum Drift played by Dwayne Johnson, must team up with an infamous computer hacker, Jack O’Malley played by Chris Evans, and embark on a mission around the world to save Christmas.
Although the characters played by Evans and Johnson are extremely different – O’Malley being selfish and sarcastic, while Drift is loyal and cynical – the two provide the perfect comedic duo that the film needs.
Throughout the movie, the pair must fight off evil snowmen, escape a castle full of monsters, address their personal failures, and fight off Gryla, an evil witch played by Kiernan Shipka, who wants to rid the world of naughty people and imprison them forever.
J.K. Simmons and Bonnie Hunt also bring a modern and fresh perspective to the characters of Santa and Mrs. Claus. This is portrayed through the involvement that Mrs. Claus has within the North Pole operations as well as the precautions that Santa takes, including staying fit and having extensive security measures.
Although the film took an untraditional path in portraying the character and elements of Santa Claus, action film fans and movie fans in general can appreciate Red One for its imaginative world and thrilling scenes.
As the movie comes to its conclusion, Drift and O’Malley learn the importance of trust and humility, ultimately working together to defeat the witch, save Santa, and get Christmas back on track.
The character arcs throughout the movie are simple, but also satisfying as Drift regains a sense of faith in humanity, deciding not to retire, and O’Malley gains a sense of belief and becomes the father that his son needs.
The movie ends with an overall message of how no one is beyond redemption, forming a heartfelt and encouraging conclusion to the comedic bits and adventure-filled sequences, and providing the sense of holiday spirit that audiences look for during Christmas.
