Why Miss Red Notice - A Fun But Secondary Action With Reynolds And The Rock

A new action comedy starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot was released on Netflix on November 12. He wrote and directed the film Rawson Marshall Thurber, and this is his third collaboration with The Rock. Prior to that, the actor starred in such director's works as "One and a half spy" and "Skyscraper".

This is not the first time Netflix has released an expensive blockbuster with cool action scenes and stars of the first magnitude in the lead roles. Oddly enough, such pictures pass by a wide audience, at least in Russia. This is "Project Power" with Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and "The Immortal Guard" with Charlize Theron, and many other films. They go out on streaming almost unnoticed, despite huge budgets, and then just disappear from sight.

More often than not, they also receive low reviews from critics. Most likely, it will be so this time: while the film has only 39% "freshness" on Rotten tomatoes, and quite deservedly.

A plot similar to all Hollywood blockbusters at once

John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson), the best FBI agent, is trying to arrest a professional thief (Gal Gadot) involved in stealing Cleopatra's precious eggs. To do this, he has to team up with another swindler - Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds). And gradually their mutual dislike develops into friendship.

Already from a brief retelling of the plot, it is clear that, despite the stellar cast, one should not expect anything outstanding from Thurber's new work. This is nothing more than another walk-through action movie with The Rock in the title role, and in the tape you can feel the influence of all Hollywood adventure franchises at once. "The Mummy", "National Treasure", films about James Bond or Indiana Jones - "Red Notice" seemed to be writing a neural network.

The film will remind you of both "Jungle Cruise" and "The bodyguard of the killer's wife». In a word, it was as if a little bit of everything connected with chases, fights and travels was mixed into it.

Actors of the same role and jokes that will quickly be forgotten

Just for the sake of the actors, you shouldn't turn on "Notification" either: they simply have nothing to surprise you with. Each of them is absolutely in place. Reynolds once again plays a charismatic adventurer, Skala plays a tough but fair cop, and Gal Gadot just looks good in a slit dress and shows convincing fighting skills.

It should be noted that Reynolds and Johnson had an excellent comedic chemistry: after all, the trademark charm of each of them cannot be spoiled by anything. But they did not succeed in an organic trio with Gal Gadot: her character is pale and poorly spelled out, she is lost against the background of other heroes. And even the bright appearance of the actress did not help.

Yes, the movie is pretty hilarious for the most part, it has a lot of good humor. But after watching, you will instantly forget all the jokes - even those that you laughed at. Although, perhaps, the Russian viewers will remember the gag about Putin.

Sprawling "cranberries" and unrealistic action

I am glad that since the time of "Red Heat" foreign filmmakers have finally learned to check with translators before filming scenes that take place in Russia according to the plot. In "Red Notice" you will even hear pure Russian speech without an accent. But there were still some ridiculous blunders.

So, according to the authors of the film, riot police officers work in the Russian prison as guards. The very same place of imprisonment, where the heroes of Reynolds and the Rock fall for a while, looks like a castle Dracula. Moreover, it is located on some kind of impregnable mountain.

The action scenes turned out to be energetic, but too unrealistic. In this film, the characters manage to survive (and what is there - not get a bruise) even after the attack of an angry bull. Or dodge a grenade launcher.

You can watch the "Red Notice" if you are aiming at an easy movie with chases, funny jokes, shootouts, explosions and the most simple storyline. All this is there.

But if you, for example, grew up on Indiana Jones and saw all the parts of Bond, Thurber's work won't surprise you. Moreover, you will get bored without watching the film and until the middle.

Linda Zhuravleva