Red One (12A)

Callum Drift, the head of North Pole security, is responsible for overseeing the personal security of Santa Claus - codename Red One. When Saint Nicholas is kidnapped, Callum begrudgingly teams up with world-famous bounty hunter Jack O'Malley to track down the man in the red suit before the Yuletide season is ruined for children across the world. Polar bear Agent Garcia and other North Pole allies assist the mismatched duo.

LondonNet Film Review

Red One (12A) Film Review from LondonNet

How does Santa Claus visit every child around the world in the space of one night on a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer reared on carrots? Screenwriter Chris Morgan risks adding his name to the naughty list by disclosing trade secrets of the North Pole in Red One, a yippee-ki-yay pheasant-plucking festive action adventure that puts Die Hard, Jingle All The Way and Santa Claus – The Movie in a blender and spices the family-friendly confection with profanities and a wintry trill of Mariah Carey…

Director Jake Kasdan previously worked with lead star Dwayne Johnson on Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle and its high-octane sequel, and the tone of this knockabout romp is similar, pitting human actors against digitally rendered beasts such as a gang of snarling snowmen who freeze victims to death. “Don’t let him get iced!” Johnson’s glowering hero orders an accomplice – a one-liner worthy of a Christmas cracker motto.

A combative central relationship between Johnson and co-star Chris Evans is played as a traditional mismatched buddy comedy replete with cartoonish violence when one half of the double-act compels the other to take part in a brutal game of competitive face slapping with Santa’s estranged brother Krampus (Kristofer Hivju). Red One delivers considerably less wallop but the festive cheer and wholesome sentimentality ding dong merrily for two hours.

After more than 500 years as head of security at the North Pole with E.L.F. (Enforcement, Logistics and Fortification), Callum Drift (Johnson) prepares to retire from personally overseeing the safety of Santa Claus (JK Simmons), codename Red One. For the first time in history, people on the naughty list exceed those in Saint Nick’s good graces and Callum has become disillusioned by a rising tide of selfishness. “Somewhere down deep inside every adult is the kid they once were,” Santa urges.

On Callum’s final Christmas Eve, he witnesses a small team kidnap the man in the red suit. Krampus (Hivju), originator of the naughty list, is a prime suspect for the diabolically timed crime. Zoe (Lucy Liu), director of M.O.R.A. (Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority), co-ordinates a time-sensitive rescue mission and she pairs Callum with world-famous bounty hunter Jack O’Malley (Evans), codename the Wolf, who prides himself on being able to track down anyone on the planet.

Red One will not be challenging It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle On 34th Street, Home Alone, Gremlins or Elf in the pantheon of the greatest Christmas films but Kasdan’s fantastical jaunt is a steady drip feed of giggles and fisticuffs. Johnson and Evans’ polar opposites inevitably gel and Morgan’s script gleefully decks the halls with tidings of comfort and joy. The main villain is underfed – not something you usually associate with a season of giving and gluttony.

– Jo Planter