Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans failed to bring Christmas joy with Red. In Redan ELF (Extremely Large and Formidable), played by Johnson, enlists the help of a tracker, played by Evans, to find Santa Claus, who has been kidnapped at the North Pole. In addition to Johnson and Evans, the cast of Red includes JK Simmons, Lucy Liu and Kiernan Shipka.
Red is finally being released in theaters and is directed by Jake Kasdan, who previously worked with Johnson on Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level. However, Red is the worst rated collaboration. Although the film has a star-studded cast and an exciting premise just in time for the Christmas season, reviews for Red were not positive. The film currently has a score of 32% on Rotten Tomatoes. Therefore, it seems Red is not the joyful Christmas blockbuster that many expected it to be.
Red One Negative Reviews: Why It Has a 32% Score on Rotten Tomatoes
Red One is not a successful Christmas movie
Supposedly, Red it was supposed to be the start of an MCU-like franchise focused on different holidays. Many critics pointed out that Red it seems to exist solely to make money, without even trying to be a quality film in the process. IndieWirereview of Red further pointed out that the film “will leave you not only upset about the holidays to come, but also about the future of cinema.” Therefore, it is clear that The Red the story did not attract critics, as IndieWire also described the film as a “blockbuster-sized lump of cinematic coal.”
In his review of the film, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Red is a “high-concept, CG-saturated bore that lacks heart and infectious humor.” While Empire noted that there is at least a “bit” of heart in the film, critics agreed that Red is full of disappointing CGI and, surprisingly, a lack of chemistry between Johnson and Evans. Overall, they concluded that Red “it seems designed in a laboratory to provide a seasonal spectacle.”
Red One reviews criticize the film for not knowing its audience
Red One tries to entertain everyone, but fails
A common theme in reviews of Red they also criticize the film for not knowing its target audience. In trend with the criticisms that Red it only exists to make money, critics point out that the film does its best to please everyone. However, Red fails in this attempt, as aiming to please everyone results in not serving any specific group. Screen Rant’s own Simon Gallagher noted that some of the jokes in Red are clearly aimed at an adult audience, but other moments make the film feel like a children’s film.
Gallagher finally concluded that Red is “intended to Fortnite players who wouldn’t be seen dead enjoying a typical Christmas movie.” Therefore, although certain demographic groups may enjoy specific parts Redreviews suggest that no one will like the entire film. Since Red is clearly a film designed to be as entertaining as possible, the fact that no audience enjoyed the entire film is a bad sign.
What Red One Does Well, According to Reviews
Some critics think Red One is a fun action movie with a holiday twist
However, within many negative reviews, there are slightly more positive reviews for Red which suggests that the film isn’t as bad as many critics would have people believe. The wrap describes Red as “an effectively constructed high-concept fantasy action comedy.” Although there is a lot going on in the film, critics claim that the world of Red It’s fun to think about itwhich is a good compliment if the film aims to start a Christmas-themed cinematic universe.
The film’s verdict recognizes that Red is not a revolutionary action film, but argues that it is a “fun take on Christmas tropes.” Therefore, some critics appreciate the Christmas atmosphere that Red providesand see it as a fun action movie. In classic Christmas fashion, The Film Verdict also appreciates that the story centers on Evans’ character finding the good in himself and valuing others, suggesting there is some heart to The Red history.
What Red One’s negative reviews mean for Dwayne Johnson and the film
Will Red One start a new franchise?
Red It opened in theaters internationally on November 6, 2024 and grossed an estimated $26.6 million in its first weekend. Now, Red It is estimated to gross between US$20 and 40 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office. They are respectable figures. However, Red has a huge budget of $250 million, so it will have to make a lot more money to become profitable in theaters, which is Amazon MGM’s goal after adopting a theatrical release plan in hopes that the film can launch a big franchise.
While Red will likely be a huge streaming hit when it hits Prime Video, it’s currently doubtful the film will have enough of an impact at the box office to warrant the creation of an entirely new franchise.
Originally, Red it was actually scheduled to debut on Prime Video’s streaming service in late 2023, but those plans changed following the Hollywood strike. Therefore, while Red will likely be a huge streaming hit when it hits Prime VideoIt’s currently doubtful that the film will have enough impact at the box office to justify the creation of an entirely new franchise. To conclude, The Red Box office and critical performance will certainly impact the next few years of Johnson’s career and the future of holiday films in general.
Sources: IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter, Empire, The wrap, The film’s verdict