Movie · 2024 · Action, Comedy, Fantasy · 2h 4m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 0.4/10 (542.6K ratings)
The mission to save Christmas is on.
Overview
After Santa Claus (codename: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security must team up with the world's most infamous tracker in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.4/10
IMDb: 6.2/10
Letterboxd: 2.29/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 30%
Metacritic: 34
TMDB: 7.0/10
Director
Jake Kasdan
Production
Seven Bucks Productions, The Detective Agency, Chris Morgan Productions, Amazon MGM Studios
Cast
Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J.K. Simmons, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Kiernan Shipka, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Wesley Kimmel, Nick Kroll, Wyatt Hunt, Clayton Cooper, Lanz Duffy, Marc Evan Jackson, Makana David, Samantha Benson, Ashleigh Domangue, Cody Easterbrook, Nikki Garza, Abel Arias
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, high-budget Christmas action-comedy with a few practical-effects highlights and some star-powered charisma, but the overall execution feels noisy, generic, and aggressively disposable. The strongest reaction from viewers is frustration with the thin writing and overprocessed studio-movie energy rather than genuine holiday charm or adventure payoff.
Best for
Viewers who want a loud, easy-to-follow holiday spectacle
Fans of broad action-comedy and mythic Christmas worldbuilding
People mainly interested in the cast and production design
Skip if
You want sharp comedy or a clever script
You’re looking for a warm, magical Christmas movie
You dislike overproduced streaming-style blockbuster formulas
You prefer family films with real emotional payoff
Overview
Red One is built like a franchise starter that forgot to earn the first installment. It has the ingredients of a crowd-pleasing holiday adventure — Santa mythology, globe-trotting set pieces, and a few fun creature effects — but the movie keeps flattening its own premise with generic banter and overworked spectacle.
Worth noting
The cast is game enough, and there are isolated bits of visual imagination, especially in the practical monster work. But the tone never settles into either a satisfying action movie or a genuinely funny Christmas comedy, so the whole thing plays more like a product than a story.
Bottom line
If you’re in the mood for something breezy and disposable, it can pass the time. If you want a holiday film with wit, heart, or memorable invention, there are much better options.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Joe A (1★) · 11406 likes
A movie made for iPad kids to watch on 2x speed while they try to get a Victory Royale fighting in Slurpy Swamp.
justinwuah (1.5★) · 9663 likes
chris evans did Knives Out then decided he's never going to be in a good movie ever again
jonathan fujii (1.5★) · 7631 likes
Honestly surprised Ryan Reynolds didn’t have a cameo in this
Seems like the kind of movie he’d show up in
Karsten (0.5★) · 5814 likes
just watch any other movie ever made instead
timtamtitus (3★) · 5461 likes
can't believe this netflix movie isn't a netflix movie
1947 · Comedy, Drama, Family · 1h 36m · NR · Curator 8.2/10 (140.7K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A classic Santa movie that leans into wonder and sentiment instead of empty spectacle.