Red Notice: Netflix’s Latest Blockbuster Success

By Rhona Lonergan 28 December 2021

Image Courtesy of Frank Masi/Netflix

A couple of months ago, Squid Game was the big kid on the block. Now, a new King has come to town. Crowned the most-watched Netflix original film of all time, Red Notice has taken the streaming giant by storm.

Despite premiering in the run-up to Christmas, you’d be mistaken to expect Netflix’s version of a Hallmark movie. At the heart of Red Notice is the charismatic trio Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Johnson (FBI agent, Hartley) and Reynolds (conman and thief, Booth) act as an antagonistic comedic pairing, forced to band together to find Cleopatra’s three golden eggs before the mysterious, legendary art thief ‘The Bishop’ (Gadot).

Gadot is a spear-wielding badass in this role. She brings a sleek, elegance to the ever-elusive, always one step ahead, The Bishop. On the flip side, she makes The Bishop relatable and enjoyable to watch by adding a mischievous, playful flourish to the character.

Image Courtesy of Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Featuring twists and reveals aplenty (some predictable, some less so) this movie is an enjoyable, amusing time, worthy of its place in the crime/heist genre. However, Reynolds’ performance is what we’ve come to expect from a Ryan Reynolds’ performance, so your mileage may vary depending on how Reynolds fatigued you are.

Red Notice is neither mind-blowing nor world-changing, yet its immediate popularity, particularly on a streaming platform such as Netflix, is understandable. Tempted by the star-studded cast and its functionally free access, viewers will stay for the cast’s chemistry and quick humour. It was never intended as a critical sensation. Instead, it aims to attract the casual viewer with a Netflix subscription. In this way, the film’s straight to on-demand status works in its favour.

The movie was just fine. For the minimal effort it requires from its audience, it’s a good movie, but it's not objectively a great movie. If you have two hours to spare, and already own a Netflix subscription, it’s not a bad use of that time. Easy, fun, and entertaining, Red Notice will keep your attention throughout. Throw on Red Notice after a long day, or cuddle up to it on a rainy, dark winter evening, but don’t seek it out.