‘Red One’ Review: Chris Evans Shines in a Thin but Touching Christmas Tale

After TheWrap reported a troublesome production that led to a hefty $250 million budget, Dwayne Johnson‘s newest movie will hit theaters worldwide later this week. The Rock stars alongside MCU icon Chris Evans in Red One, the Christmas film that’s a confusing mixture of sci-fi, fantasy, and satire. J.K. Simmons, known for winning an Oscar for his role in Whiplash and voicing Omni-Man in Invincible (among too many others to mention), also stars in the film, along with Kill Bill and Charlie’s Angels veteran Lucy Liu.

While Red One likely won’t break any box office records and will certainly be absent from the Academy Awards, the Christmas flick does a delightful job winning the audience over, thanks to the carefully crafted dynamic between Evans’ Jack O’Malley and Johnson’s Callum Drift. The two are more opposite than the North and South Pole, but ultimately, their end goal of rekindling their love for Christmas is the same. Red One may not be perfect, but it’s a great time with a touching message, especially for passionate fans of Christmas movies.

You’ll Enjoy ‘Red One’ for Different Reasons Than You Expect

When you sit down to watch a new Dwayne Johnson movie, there are undoubtedly some expectations about what you’re going to get. Generally, it’s safe to assume that the story will be paper thin with some solid action sequences, but this isn’t the case with Red One. The action can’t quite decide if it wants to be hand-to-hand butt-kicking or supernatural face-offs, and it doesn’t commit enough to either to stick the landing. The fight sequences will easily be lost and forgotten with time.

The main story of Red One is also nothing to write home about. If you’ve seen the Red One trailers, you know what the film is about: Santa Claus (Simmons) is kidnapped, and Callum Drift (Johnson) recruits Jack O’Malley (Evans) to help get him back, and that’s about it. However, where the narrative works hard to win you over (and succeeds) is Evans’ B-story, which follows his journey to reconnect with his estranged son Dylan (Wesley Kimmel).

If you’re familiar with the MCU, you’ll also find yourself pointing at the screen like Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood more than a few times. Red One is heavily influenced by the MCU, both in its concept of design and action sequences, with some things even feeling more like a direct rip-off than something that leaned on prior source material for inspiration. Director Jake Kasdan would have a tough time denying his familiarity with Black Panther, The Avengers, and Ant-Man after his work on Red One.

‘Red One’s Characters Are Handled With Care

The Rock plays the same character you’ve seen him play countless times, the muscly bodyguard with deeper motivations and desires that he is extremely stoic about. Red One‘s Callum Drift is no different, but Johnson still delivers some dry humor that mostly lands. This won’t go down as one of The Rock’s most notable roles of his career, and it’s thanks to the shining performance from his co-star that the role likely won’t earn him as much flack as it would with someone else opposite him.

Chris Evans hasn’t necessarily had the chance to show his acting chops playing Captain America in the MCU and starring in movies like Gray Man and Ghosted, but he consistently turns in strong performances in whatever he’s a part of, and Red One is another shining example of this. O’Malley’s sarcastic wit had the entire (about half-full) theater laughing in rows more than once. Even at times without saying a word, Evans delivers sidesplitting laughs as someone who can’t come to terms with this mythical world of Christmas creatures.

Red One‘s supporting cast turns in solid performances, particularly J.K. Simmons, who shines as Nick. He gets only a few scenes to show off, but he perfectly embodies the spirit of what kids and adults alike want in Santa Claus. Lucy Liu also performs respectably as Zoe, head of the shadow organization behind Santa Claus and other mystic creatures that no big-budget action movie would be complete without. Game of Thrones veteran Kristopher Hivju is a delightful surprise as Nick’s brother, Krampus, bringing a more rugged style of humor to the table.

‘Red One’ Is Worth a Trip to the Theater

Mileage on Red One is undoubtedly going to vary — the film currently sits at a 34% score from critics on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes — but, there’s a lot to love about this film. It could have benefited from a later release date, perhaps a bit closer to Christmas, but with juggernauts like Gladiator II, Wicked, and Mufasa all coming later this year, it makes sense to avoid those blockbusters. If you’re a fan of Christmas movies and have ever enjoyed any of Chris Evans’ previous work, Red One will win you over quickly and not let go.

Red One premieres in theaters on November 15. Follow the Agents of Fandom socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.