Put some of the world's (and the moment's) biggest stars and put them in a vanilla, standard action comedy where they each get to play the same character they play in every movie and you pretty much get Red Notice a film that is an exercise in giving audiences exactly what they expect. Sure Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot are all extremely likeable with winning formulas. But perhaps the first two's respective schticks are beginning to wear a little thin, when they aren't in something that offers anything unique.
The Rock seems to think he's in another Fast and Furious spin off. Reynolds is... well exactly like he is in every movie. I found both takes starting to get a little grating. Can they do anything else? Perhaps why should they. Audiences pay to see them be these characters. They pay to see them regurgitate the same thing again and again. Gadot may not be as ubiquitous, but her sexy, smart kick ass it beginning to become her brand too.
Red Notice is slick, with a warm colour palette and enough of a story that it doesn't bore. Some of the action sequences are really quite beautifully shot. The hunour is well what you would expect and the story is decently entertaining. Red Notice doesn't drop the ball but also doesn't stick with you. I dare people to be able to remember the intricacies of the plot 45 minutes after it's over. This is disposable entertainment that requires little to no attention to be able to engage with it. Audiences love that shit.
So other than just feeling rather been-there-done-that, there is little offensive or terrible about Red Notice. There is also little that's great or interesting. But there is a large audience that doesn't want great or interesting and just wants to know exactly what to expect and get exactly what they order.
Red Notice
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, Chris Diamantopoulos, Ritu Arya, Ed SheeranWriter/Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
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