Red Notice - Good Silly Fun

 

Playing in Theaters 

Streaming on Netflix 

    Red Notice is to action/heist movies what Hobbs & Shaw was to the Fast & Furious franchise; a much-needed over-the-top hilariously entertaining shot of adrenaline that reminds us all why we love movies. Sure, it's not the most sophisticated heist film out there, some of the narrative beats have been done a few times before, and some of you may spot the plot twists within the first twenty minutes of the film. Despite all that, it is a work of joy with witty dialogue and invigorating performances, especially from Gal Gadot (more on her later), that will have you laughing and cheering. Not to mention a pleasant reminder of why it's sometimes fun to root for the "bad guys." 

    The story follows the notorious art thief Nolan Booth (Ryan Renolds), who gets caught by the authorities after successfully stealing one of three priceless ancient Egyptian eggs once belonging to Cleopatra. His capturing officer, FBI profiler John Hartly (Dwayne Johnson), has the honor of bringing in Booth and retrieving the priceless egg. Sadly, his victory is short-lived, as it turns out the egg was another fake, and he is mysteriously framed for stealing the real one. Booth and Harly find themselves sharing a jail cell together, and things look rather bleak. That is until they are greeted by the most remarkable art thief of them all, known as The Bishop (Gal Gadot), who offers the two men a chance to escape and return to their lives, provided they help her find the other eggs. From there, a series of shenanigans, hijinks, and buddy-cop moments sprinkle the entire film with delightfully silly entertainment. Also, Gal Gadot doing martial arts in a red cocktail dress. Need I say more?

    As you have likely surmised, this movie is top-notch ridiculous schlock, and I love it. It may not be entirely on par with Hobbs & Shaw, as mentioned earlier, or the ever-reliable classic Tango & Cash, but it's up there. 

    What sells this movie the most is the cast. All three primary leads have remarkable chemistry and work off of each other beautifully. The comedic timing is on point, the few dramatic moments have weight, and everyone keeps their dignity as a likable character. It may have helped the production that Ryan Renolds and Dwayne Johnson have an unusual charisma that few Hollywood stars can replicate. 

    But, of course, the MVP award must go to Gal Gadot. Aside from looking absolutely gorgeous in nearly every frame, she has the freedom to show off some of her surprising chops as a comedic & acting talent. While she has performed her famous role of Wonder Woman remarkably well (and continues to do so), I couldn't help but feel like she wasn't receiving many opportunities to stretch herself out a bit more. Here, she performs like a kid in a candy store with too much-saved allowance. She is having an absolute blast with her role, bouncing off her chemistry with the leading men, and it is glorious! This movie would not be as entertaining nor as memorable as it is had she not been here. 

    The action scenes are beautifully realized. No shaky-cam or rapid-fire-editing to artificially up the intensity. Each action set piece has the right amount of personality to stand out and elevate the movie, with just enough flare to keep things moving at a nice pace. A few times, I found myself a bit confused at some of the editing choices, but never to the point where it became distracting.

    Red Notice is the perfect kind of movie to kick off the holiday season. As we all prepare to hunker down for the cold weather and stuff ourselves with turkey, know that Red Notice is here to cheer you on as you prepare for the harvest. 

    Give this one a look. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.