Brandon Marinkovich ‘22, Sports Editor
Red Notice, released in November, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ryan Reynolds, is an action/comedy film. Johnson plays Agent John Hartley, an informant for the FBI, who eventually teams up with Nolan Booth (Reynolds), to catch the best art thief in the world, Bishop, played by Gal Gadot. Hartley only is teaming up with Booth in order to get Bishop in handcuffs. Booth is a funny and witty crook, while Hartley is a stern and serious agent. The film was based around the three golden eggs of Cleopatra, which have been separated for decades. A wealthy man in Egypt is willing to pay a very high price to whoever can get all three eggs to him, as a wedding gift for his daughter, fittingly named Cleopatra.
Red Notice is overall a solid movie, for what it was made for: this movie was obviously not made to challenge a viewer’s beliefs or push any boundaries, but the acting was quality, with Reynolds as his typical standout self. His quick one line jokes kept the dialogue fresh and fast paced, making the film intriguing, and he and Johnson made the movie a perfect blend between comedy and action.
The plot did seem to be lacking in some places, but the Cinematography was a surprising strong point, as it was something that I expected to catch my attention while watching the film. The opening shot of the film drew me in, being an aerial shot racing across a bridge, then panning up to a beautiful museum. It made me want to keep watching.Overall, Red Notice is a film that I enjoyed, but did not love. It was funny and engaging for the entirety of its 117 minute run-time. Although Reynolds’ standout performance was the highlight of the movie, I feel that there was a lack of quality when it came to the plot. It seemed like at some points the entire goal that Booth and Hartley set to accomplish got lost. Red Notice was executed properly in order to fulfill its purpose as a film. I believe that this film is worth watching and that its star studded cast makes the film that much better. Red Notice is obviously not made as a genre pushing or a socially conscious film, but it was done well for what it was made to be. I recommend taking the time to watch this film if you are looking for quality entertainment and a good laugh, but if you are looking for a movie with a plot that holds a deeper meaning than the surface level, Red Notice may not be the film for you.
Lyon Life 