Red One
Red One is an action-comedy-fantasy film set during the Christmas season, where the traditional narrative of Santa Claus is reimagined within a high-stakes adventure. The story follows Callum Drift, the Head of North Pole Security, who must partner with a skilled but cynical bounty hunter, Jack O'Malley, to rescue a kidnapped Santa Claus and save Christmas from a nefarious plot. The movie blends holiday cheer with intense action sequences and fantastical elements, taking viewers on a global journey involving magical beings and challenging scenarios. Aimed primarily at a pre-teen to teenage audience, the film carries a PG-13 rating. While it offers themes of choosing good over evil and the importance of family, parents should be aware of significant content concerns. These include frequent fantasy violence, suggestive romantic elements, substantial profanity, and a pervasive integration of mythological and occult themes that diverge from traditional Christian understandings of Christmas. The overall content suggests it is best suited for viewers aged 12 and older, with parental discretion advised due to its mature elements.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe movie features frequent and intense fantasy violence, including magical attacks, hand-to-hand combat, and potentially lethal games, often with comedic undertones but graphic descriptions of injury within a fantasy context.
Krampus engages in a slapping game where participants are knocked unconscious or die, with men sent flying and one character shown with a 'smashed and bloody face'. Angry snowmen attack people, freezing them into solid blocks of ice, and one snowman is stabbed through the chest with a large knife causing ice to slowly envelop the victim.
Profanity
HighThe movie contains a significant amount of profanity, including mild to moderate curse words, an interrupted f-word, and frequent misuse of God's name.
The f-word is heard, though cut off halfway through. The s-word is used eight times, 'hell' nine times, and 'a--,' 'd--n,' and 'd-ck' are used once or twice, in addition to God's name being used in vain 10 times.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are central to the plot, featuring a powerful witch antagonist, mythological creatures with supernatural abilities, and a journey into a 'hell-like realm.'
The main villain is Gryla, a 900-year-old shapeshifting witch who uses magic to kidnap Santa and seeks to punish individuals on the naughty list. The protagonists receive help from Santa's 'demonic evil brother' Krampus, described as 'half goat, half devil,' indicating a blending of pagan folklore with Christmas themes, and the narrative includes a journey to a 'hell-like realm' involving 'demons'.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe film features numerous scary and intense scenes, including menacing creatures, implied torture, possession, and distressing situations for characters, including a child.
Menacing snow monsters with sharp icicle teeth freeze people into blocks of ice and stab a man through the chest. Santa is held in a dark, sinister environment, unconscious, with Gryla sucking his energy, and Gryla also possesses a man, causing him to shake unnaturally with purple eyes and speak in an altered voice.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumWhile there are no explicitly identified LGBTQ+ characters or relationships central to the plot, one instance of gender fluidity as a plot device is present, and some critical reviews comment on the film's presentation of 'cis-het masculinity.'
A male shapeshifter disguises himself as a woman as part of the plot. The film is criticized by one reviewer for 'gazing into the maw of insecure cis-het masculinity' and representing 'capitalistic cis-het storytelling,' highlighting a perceived lack of queer creative boldness.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe film includes suggestive elements, such as revealing attire and implied sexual activity, along with instances of objectification.
During a beach sequence, multiple women are shown in revealing string bikinis, with their bare bottoms exposed, and the character Jack (Chris Evans) is depicted noticeably staring at a woman's behind. Jack also discerns that a married beachgoer is attempting to start an affair with another woman.
Substance Use
MediumAlcohol use is present, including depictions of a character's alcohol abuse and subsequent reckless behavior, although it is not glamorized.
The character Jack O'Malley is found passed out in a bathtub with an empty liquor bottle, clearly hungover, and subsequently drives recklessly while in this state. Jack also sneaks drinks from a flask and uses alcohol to create a diversion by pouring it on a fire.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe main character initially exhibits a cynical and rebellious attitude, engaging in disrespectful and illegal actions, though the narrative includes a journey toward redemption and personal responsibility.
Jack O'Malley, a mercenary, is initially characterized by 'misanthropy and distrust' and is on the 'naughty list,' engaging in acts like stealing newspapers, coffee, a key card, and candy from a baby, and purposefully setting a Christmas display on fire. Jack initially tries to blame his bad decisions on external forces, but Callum Drift reprimands him, emphasizing the importance of personal choice in doing good.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe movie integrates pagan folklore, mythological creatures, and a 'hell-like realm' into a Christmas narrative, potentially overshadowing or conflicting with the Christian meaning of Christmas.
The film prominently features Krampus, described as 'half goat, half devil' and Santa's 'demonic evil brother,' who aids the protagonists, blending dark pagan themes with the Christmas story. The plot involves characters journeying to a 'hell-like realm' and interacting with 'demons,' which for a Christmas-themed movie, could be seen as conflicting with the Christian celebration of Jesus Christ's birth.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 12+. The film is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for action, some violence, and language, and contains significant content concerns across multiple categories, including intense fantasy violence, suggestive romantic content, frequent profanity, and prominent magical/occult themes. These elements make it unsuitable for younger children, with most parental guides recommending it for ages 12 and up.
Additional Notes
The film's runtime is 123 minutes, and while it carries positive messages about choice and redemption, the significant amount of fantasy violence, profanity, and intense thematic elements necessitate careful parental consideration, especially for Christian families. The blend of traditional Christmas figures with broader mythology and occult elements may be a point of discussion.
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