Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson rarely has a flop movie. But forecasts are he’s got a big One coming.
That would be “Red One,” a movie about kidnapping Santa Clause. It will open tomorrow night in previews. With a cost of $250 million, “Red One” looks like it’s going to wind up in the red for real.
So far, critics reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are at 38%. That’s based on only 52 reviews. Amazon MGM has kept most reviewers away from it. But the number will decline when more eyes see it.
At screenings for non critics, the movie has met with mixed reaction according to Rotten Tomatoes’ Audience Meter. More than less of the people who posted reactions called it “boring” and “long.”
The Rotten Tomatoes one line description says it all: “Wrapped in slick packaging but wholly lacking in holiday magic, Red One is a ho-ho-hum action-adventure.”
How could the budget have swelled up to $250 million? Jake Kasdan — who’s never had a hit — is the director. (Yes, he’s the son of the great director Lawrence.) But salaries would be a part of equation, with not only Johnson but Marvel actor Chris Evans and Oscar winner JK Simmons. Johnson is also listed as a producer, so he gets another slice of the pie.
Johnson’s movies average around $150 in the US but are huge internationally. Amazon MGM will count on that for “Red One.” But in an early release, the movie has made just $28 million abroad in a wide variety of locations.
All eyes will be on tomorrow night’s receipts for “Red One.”
