In Red One, Santa Claus is kidnapped, and it’s up to Santa’s bodyguard, Callum Drift played by Dwayne Johnson, and the hacker who tracked Santa to the North Pole, Jack O’Malley played by Chris Evans, to save Santa and Christmas. The plot outline is cliché among Christmas films involving Santa. Santa gets kidnapped, thrown in jail, or lost, and someone from the North Pole must team with a non-believer to save him. Jack O’Malley is no Captain America, but Evans is charming and still gets to fight.

The power of this film lies in its message. Callum has lost his ability to see the child, and therefore the good, in adults. All he sees is their selfishness, anger, and pettiness. He hands in his resignation, effective after Christmas.

Santa says it isn’t about getting people to do right. It is instead about helping them to see that every decision, big or small, is an opportunity to do good. The choices people make become who they are.

Callum doesn’t see it anymore. He sees people being mean for no reason and feels like people may not need Santa anymore because nothing matters.

Santa says now, they need us more than ever.

Red One has action, quips, and fun. It also has something the world is missing – a positive message without any baggage.

With a stellar cast, including J.K. Simmons as an athletic Santa, Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus, and Lucy Liu as Zoe, the head of MORA (Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority), Red One provides an entertaining couple of hours. More importantly, it is the kind of movie we need right now.

Red One is an Amazon/MGM film in theaters. Check out this affiliate link for more information (when you purchase something from Amazon with this link, we receive a small finder’s fee.)