Red Notice
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Cast: Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson
An explosive, adrenaline-pumping experience is what I expected from Netflix’s Red Notice (dubbed to be the costliest film from the streaming platform), but what I got was more. A complete globe-trotting roller-coaster ride, the film will leave it’s viewers completely enthralled and exhausted by the end of it.
Before I get to the questions you want answered, let me outline the story.
Cleopatra’s priceless bejeweled eggs are at the center of Red Notice, a new action-adventure comedy from writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber. The film begins with Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds), the world’s second-best art thief, which leaves us with a question – who is the best? It is the elusive Bishop (Gal Gadot), who has joined hands with one FBI special agent John Heartly (Dwayne Johnson) to help catch Booth before he flips Cleopatra’s second egg from a museum. Why? To ensure the numero uno spot remains uncontested. But when Hartley is framed for a crime he himself is investigating, he is forced to team up with Booth to take down the Bishop once and for all.
Throughout Red Notice, Renolyds and Johnson’s onscreen camaraderie is on point. It is the USP of the film — just as the makers intended. The best aspect is that no actor is aiming for one-upmanship, instead you see them feeding off each other’s energy. There’s a pleasant comic vibe, too, between the two actors. But it’s hard to keep your eye off Gadot who promises a heart-pumping film.
I could hear the men and even some women in the cinema hall gasping each time Gadot came on screen, and I must admit — I too was struck spellbound seeing her on screen. This is her film.
Read: India Could be Featured If There’s A Sequel To Red Notice: Director Rawson Marshall Thurber | Exclusive
In all fairness, it’s not just the action, it’s also the sheer energy of the film, and by that I mean the stunts, the gadgets, the songs, the locations, almost everything. It’s what I call “all-stops pulled out entertainment.” The makers of this film want you to suspend your sense of disbelief and just go along for the ride, which you’re absolutely willing to do, but having said that, there are some things that are just not excusable.
Everything about the film is surface level: the script, the mystery, and the directing. The contrived twist and double-crosses (which almost makes you feel like that director decided to take tips from Abbas-Mustan) invoke indifference and as an audience you can predict them with ease. The plot and the formulaic story-line is what brings the film down. It seems that Thurber decided to take a cue from many Hollywood films from the past, including Mission Impossible, Ocean’s Eleven and even Money Heist.
Markus Förderer’s cinematography and Michael L. Sale’s editing deserve a mention as they allow the actors to salvage the poorly written script. If Reynolds is goofy and funny, Johnson with his muscular body does what he is good at. Gadot is stylish and extremely svelte when performing her stunts. The trio have an amazing energy which fills in for the big loopholes in the film.
Red Notice would appear to have all the right ingredients for a franchise-ready adventure (Thurber has left the end open for a sequel), yet something’s notably off when the pieces are mixed together. At the same time, the film looks slick and boasts of attractive A-list actors pulling fantastic stunts in gorgeous locations around the globe.
To answer your question, Is Red Notice worth a watch?
I would definitely recommend it. The film is a high-profile bang bang show that is at best, popcorn entertainment for action movie buffs.
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