‘Red Alert’ will hit Netflix next November 12 -before it will be available in some cinemas starting this Friday- with the aureole of most expensive movie on the platform so far. With an estimated budget of about $ 200 million, it is a blockbuster that practically sells itself thanks to its starring trio.
The problem in some cases like this is that those in charge of the film trust that the stars are sufficient claim and do not bother to give them something interesting to work with. A little that is what happens with ‘Red Alert’, but at least here one does not have time to be bored and it is appreciated how fun it is Gal gadot in her role as an art thief.
The contribution of its leading trio
With the previous mention I do not want to belittle Dwayne Johnson or Ryan Reynolds, but it does clarify that she is the one with the most freedom of action compared to the image she has projected in previous films. In fact, it is arguably the third in contention, as ‘Red Alert’ seems built to be a vehicle for Johnson and Reynolds show off. We already knew the chemistry they shared for their scenes together in ‘Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw’ and here it is undeniable again.
And is that ‘Red Alert’ has much of the average movie of Johnson as an action hero and Reynolds as a sympathetic charlatan. There is no place for deception and it can be said that it gives what it promises, with the incentive that they leave alternating both dynamics so that the fatigue effect, caused by the adventure itself that it proposes or by having seen them in similar roles on perhaps too many occasions, never ends up taking over the story.
That encourages Johnson to bring more conviction to the action scenes and Reynolds to make us laugh with the barrage of jokes he releases throughout the film – the funniest one is probably one at the expense of Vin Diesel-. That’s where Gadot’s sporadic appearances add spark to turn things upside down when the movie needs it so there’s just more story to tell. What’s more, You can tell that he enjoys a more playful role, a sensation that he manages to convey to the public.
So what is wrong with ‘Red Alert’ if the two of them comply and complement each other, while she is a very effective destabilizing factor? Then I’m very afraid that everything else it is closer to being a nondescript action film with touches of adventure cinema than to a vibrant spectacle that keeps you glued to the armchair -or the sofa at home-.
Flying low
There it was already clear in advance that the presence behind the cameras of Rawson Marshall Thurber, a regular collaborator of Johnson, did not invite optimism and what was seen on the screen ended up giving me the reason. As was the case in ‘The Skyscraper’, he relies more than necessary on the assembly tricks to create an illusion of spectacularity and the result is quite vulgar.
In fact, ‘Red Alert’ seems to settle for being merely functional in that aspect, something that can fit in the calmer scenes where humor weighs more than everything else, but when push comes to shove it ends up being a flat proposal in terms of regarding the staging. There is nothing visually motivating, and when by chance there is a plane that could do it, it quickly cuts to another.
Be careful, you can see the interest in creating a dynamic tone with the constant changes of scenery, which leads to one not getting tired of any of them, but accumulation weighs more than wanting to really take advantage of them. In the end, everything turns out to be mundane, even the action scenes, where the treatment of violence is closer to that of an episode of ‘The A-team’ than desirable.
For the rest, Thurber’s script includes some surprises, which come to be perceived more as mere blows of effect more oriented towards the possibility that ‘Red Alert’ is the beginning of a franchise that, by the fact, fits well with what has been seen up to now. then. Nor am I going to say that it is a cheat, because both in the narrative and in the plot it is a film too lazy to be.
In short
All that said, ‘Red Alert’ works to some extent as a vehicle based on the charisma of its stars. If you are not repelled by any of its protagonists, take a look when you want to see something with few complications and that goes all the time from here to there, as it is not a negligible option. Anyone who wants a great action or adventure movie I’m afraid will have to look elsewhere.