The minute Red Notice came out on Netflix, I watched it. This movie had me from the trailer.
It features a trio of actors I love. I mean, come on, Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds, and Dwayne Johnson. Thank you, Universe!
They are all great movie stars with a funny bone on and off camera.
Whenever I stream a movie, I always note the creator. Red Notice is a Netflix “blockbuster” movie. So I was not watching this show with any high expectations that they would respect physics. Have you seen Fast and Furious — and it’s in theatres?
I watched it for a laugh, and that’s what you’ll get jokes.
Plus, an ending that leads us to hope there will be a second act. Look at the intensity of the characters’ facial expressions as they go on their next heist.
What to expect? No Spoilers!
The cast does right by the script and carries the movie. The actors’ faces are the entire essence of the movie poster — so, of course, they bodied the film.
I almost didn’t get to watch Queenpins because of the poster. See the cinematic cover differences for yourself.
Anyway. These three Hollywood celebrities give off their usual charm. And Ryan Reynolds keeps the plot light by never missing the opportunity to be sarcastic. It’s brilliant because we, the audience, aren’t taking the movie seriously either.
There were several plot twists.
Each surprised me, and this rarely happens because I saw right through Squid Games. Love Hard had the writing on the wall too.
The movie begins with the definition of Red Notice. Very much like the start of missions on Netflix’s animated series, Carmen Sandiego.
I got more Carmen Sandiego vibes as the movie progressed.
Most movies use smooth transitions between scenes. This movie, instead, identifies a new location at the start of each new set.
I love the font — a bold style in red with a pattern representative of the country.
Red Notice, by definition, is the highest warning level for internationally wanted criminals. Let’s also clarify the leading acts in the film:
Gal Godot — The Bishop
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — Agent John Hartley
Ryan Reynolds — Nolan Booth
Ritu Arya — Inspector Urvashi Das
The definition and a mini Egyptian history lesson slash love story get narrated as the credit rolls. Then boom. The movie begins with Agent Hartley and Inspector Das on the trial of the high-profile art thief, Nolan. Why?
Ancient Egyptian Queen Cleopatra received three special gold eggs from her finance. Years later, during a war, the Nazis stole them, and the eggs got separated.
Today, Nolan wants to collect all three eggs for a huge payday.
A billionaire whose daughter’s name is Cleopatra wants the eggs together. He thought it was a marvelous gift for her wedding day. But, the theft does not go well because Agent John and Inspector Das intervene.
The cops arrive because Nolan has an art thief competitor, The Bishop, who is leaking them details. Of course, The Bishop has motive. She wants the lucrative ransom offered for the eggs.
Nolan, Agent Hartley, and The Bishop have a series of run-ins with each other. Someone gets the eggs, and plenty of twists occur. There is also a ton of fights, chases, and bromance.
I promised no spoilers, so that’s the gist of the plot.
Here’s the trailer:
Why does it work for me and not for others?
First reason.
Like most modern-day films, Red Notice tries to be a lot of things. It took inspiration from a lot of places. Then, displayed each in different scenes. Some people dislike this mix and mash of genres.
It felt like an Oceans Eleven movie for a second because they break into and out of complex situations. Nolan and Agent Hartley walk us through the most simple plans. Like it’s hard to figure out. There’s even a flashback thrown in the explanation.
In the next scene, I got National Treasure and Indiana Jones styled explorations. While people hope for more focus, I like the pace. There was never a lull to make you feel bored enough to reach for your phone.
I sat up sometimes like, I know, the characters will escape, but I’m still interested in the how.
The Second Reason
People will see the special effects at work and feel some way — never usually anything good. But everybody cannot be Tom Cruise and do their stunts in the real world.
I love anime. So, I’m okay with computer-generated realities. Others think there are one too many staged areas and green screenshots.
You might feel the same.
Let me know if you do.
And for good measure, I’ll include the Queenpins trailer because I mentioned it above.
This piece isn’t my usual style. But I watch and love movies, and there will be a lot as the year ends.
I thought it best to share some of my favorites.
And experiment with my content.
I hope you enjoyed reading this piece.
