The Sunday Mail
Film Review
Tinashe Kusema
IT is a shame that science is not where it should be in terms of genetics and human cloning.
If it was, all I would need is a sample of Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds’ DNA and I would create my own flawless action hero.
Imagine, he would have Johnson’s physique and appeal blended with Reynolds’ charm and comic timing.
My villain of choice, right off the top of my head, would have James Spader’s cadence and the all-around bad guy demeanour and vibe of Benedict Cumberbatch.
Their meeting would be epic!
Why am I bringing this up?
Well, I find the latest pairing of Johnson and Reynolds to be such a huge disappointment despite the film “Red Notice” breaking records on Netflix every week since its release on November 5.
Such is the blockbuster appeal of Johnson and, to some extent, Reynolds.
Add Gal Gadot to the equation and you have the recipe for an outright contender for one of the best movies of the year.
Or, so you would think.
Reynolds and Johnson, and, to some extent, Gadot are a huge part of the success and appeal of this Netflix heist movie.
But, they (Johnson and Reynolds) are also part of the problem.
A red notice is a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol), and this is something we are made aware of during the opening credits of the film.
We are then introduced to Nolan Booth (Reynolds), the most wanted art thief in the world, as he attempts to steal one of three priceless golden eggs known to have belonged to Queen Cleopatra.
A bounty has been placed on the eggs by a wealthy businessman who intends to give them to his daughter, ironically also named Cleopatra, as a gift on her wedding day.
Hot on his (Booth) heels is FBI agent and profiler John Hartley (Johnson), who is hell-bent on capturing Booth and is working on intel provided by another high-profile thief known as The Bishop (Gadot).
Hartley gets his man, only for The Bishop to double-cross him and get both men sent to one of the most secure and frightening prisons in Russia. Booth and Hartley soon decide to put their differences aside, work together and try bringing down The Bishop.
This involves also getting in on the hunt for the two remaining eggs.
There is plenty of great action and laughs.
It could have been more spectacular had Johnson and Reynolds applied themselves.
Instead, they conspired to give us some lifeless performances.
Critics argue that both actors play the same role in different movies.
In the case of Reynolds, he is renowned for his quick wit and charm.
In Johnson’s case, the guy is just too big and muscular to play anything other than an action man.
We are far from his performance in the 2005 comedy marvel “Be Cool”.
All he plays is the big man who does not like fighting because he knows he would hurt people.
It is all quite played out, to be honest.
The film’s surrogate protagonist, Sotto Voce (Chris Diamantopoulos), is hardly in the movie long enough to matter.
Gadot looks like the only person who took the movie, and her part, seriously.
She is refreshingly unique, funny and quite resourceful as the deadly art thief (The Bishop).
Who knew the wonder woman actually had a funny bone in her body?
Her chemistry with her co-stars, comic timing and the way she carries herself saves this disappointing film.
Because of her, I am tempted to forgive the film for its less-than-original storyline and poor twist.
The fact that an Ed Sheeran cameo appearance is by far the most memorable thing about the whole film speaks volumes of how disappointing it really is.
The English singer’s ‘blink and you will miss it’ is one of the funniest things I have seen all year.
Watch out for one or two “Game of Thrones” references in it too.
Having broken a Netflix record on its release date, the film is well on its way to be one of the most-watched movies on the platform. There is even talk of a sequel and franchise coming in the near future.
