Red One has already earned some redemption from its dire initial reviews from critics. Starring Dwayne Johnson (Callum Drift) and Chris Evans (Jack O’Malley), the action flick follows the kidnapping of Santa Claus (J. K. Simmons), with the duo tasked to rescue him in time for Christmas. It had an enormous $250 million budget and was released in theaters on November 15 for domestic audiences. Amazon MGM has not yet confirmed when Red One will head to streaming platforms.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the holiday movie has proven to be extremely divisive. It debuted with a Rotten 32% Tomatometer score from critics. Top critics were even more negative, assigning just a 25% score. The audience, however, has been kinder, currently sitting at an 88% Popcornmeter score, which is enough to earn a Hot designation. It has over 100 reviews from critics and over 500 verified ratings from general viewers at the time of writing.
What Red One’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Means

Red One Is Still Unlikely To Achieve Profitability

Profitability is going to be difficult for the holiday adventure. Ordinarily, a movie with a strong Popcornmeter performance should be able to secure a relatively small second-week drop. Considering Red One’s oversized budget, however, it is going to struggle to achieve true profitability. After the marketing costs and theaters take their cuts, it will need to earn an estimated $500 million to be considered a success. It is expected to earn between $25 million and $40 million in its opening weekend, which would make theatrical profitability a near-impossibility.

It is important not to use the initial box office numbers as the sole arbiter of profitability.

Streaming could still prove to support the movie, however. If it can earn success on the streaming market, it could become a long-term hit that viewers return to every holiday season. The introduction of streaming platforms has changed the box office calculus, so it is important not to use the initial box office numbers as the sole arbiter of profitability. The movie is owned by Amazon, which controls Prime Video, so streaming viability could easily have been factored into the initial pitch.

Red One was initially exclusive to streaming on Prime Video, but that changed when Johnson saw an IMAX screening of Oppenheimer, which convinced him to put the movie in theaters.

Our Take On Red One’s Divisive Rotten Tomatoes Score

Critics And Audiences Are Looking For Different Things

The Rotten Tomatoes critics were extremely harsh towards the latest subversive holiday movie. Many cite it as a cynical, boring, and unoriginal movie that depends on action more than anything else. Even Screen Rant’s Red One review calls the movie a “joyless dud.” The action feels predictable, the narrative is cliché, and the characters are not especially deep. The excessive budget may have added to the spectacle, but it could not save the movie from itself.
What many critics failed to account for, however, is that the narrative is not this movie’s biggest draw. The cast and overall spectacle are the reasons that audiences have any interest at all. Many reviewers cited their love for the show-stopping nature of the movie and its intense commitment to its own absurd concept. It could easily become a regular Christmas movie that plays in the background while the family gathers for the holiday. Red One will never be a critical darling or an awards season hit, but it has certainly found its audience.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes

After Santa Claus is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with a notorious bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a thrilling, globe-spanning mission to save Christmas. This action-packed holiday adventure mixes comedy and festive magic, with an ensemble cast that includes Lucy Liu and J.K. Simmons.

Director

Jake Kasdan

Release Date

November 15, 2024

Writers

Chris Morgan
, Hiram Garcia

Cast

Dwayne Johnson
, Chris Evans
, J.K. Simmons
, Lucy Liu
, Kiernan Shipka
, Bonnie Hunt
, Kristofer Hivju
, Nick Kroll
, Wesley Kimmel
, Mary Elizabeth Ellis
, Wyatt Hunt
, Lanz Duffy
, Marc Evan Jackson
, Ashleigh Domangue
, Cody Easterbrook
, Jon Rudnitsky
, Morla Gorrondona
, Jenna Kanell
, Rod Maxwell
, Fedor Steer
, Octavia Grace
, Matthew Zuk
, Cora Kass
, Ahmad Ghafouri
, Jeff Chase

Character(s)

Callum Drift
, Jack O’Malley
, Santa Claus
, Zoe
, Gryla
, Mrs. Claus
, Krampus
, Ted
, Dylan
, Olivia
, Young Jack O’Malley
, Gene
, Uncle Rick
, Jamie Hummiston
, HIT Instructor
, Beef Stew
, Ogre Gryla
, Krampus Guest
, Stage Manager
, Cyclops

Runtime

123 Minutes

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