Saturday, November 13, 2021

Netflix: Review of RED NOTICE: Extravagant Egghunt

November 13, 2021



An Egyptian billionaire was willing to pay $300 million to whoever could bring him three golden eggs from Cleopatra's tomb which were now located in three different places. Notorious art thieves Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) and his main competitor the Bishop (Gal Gadot) are both aiming to get all three together. However, FBI special agent and criminal profiler John Hartley was also hot on their heels, as well as Interpol Inspector Das (Rity Arya).   

This had all the ingredients for a great adventure film. The budget seemed to be all out, as the story globetrotted to different locations, with all the fancy stunts with helicopters and vintage cars. It combined the Nazi archeological aspects of the "Indiana Jones" films with the elegant heist plots of the "Oceans" films. The three main stars were definitely A-list, all at the top of their game as headliners of their respective box-office hits. 

These three stars had roles right in their comfort zones. Dwayne Johnson is always the correct choice for the alpha male, swashbuckling action hero. Ryan Reynolds is right at home being the wiseass, wise-cracking funny-man, with pop culture joke in practically every other line. Gal Gadot was practically Diana Prince here, a glamorous, skilled and intelligent Amazon -- only she was working on the wrong side of the law this time around. 

As is expected in most heist films involving competing criminals, there would definitely be dangerous alliances and double-crossing schemes. This one had these aspects in spades, with surprising twists and turns all the way to the very end. The easy chemistry of the three stars together made these twists land properly. There were very funny jokes peppered all throughout, mostly hits than misses (for me, anyway). 

There were plenty of contrivances in the incredible plot, too many strokes of luck for the three main characters to be believable. Their plans just so happen to fall into place too perfectly, you just did not exactly whose plan was working and whose was not. There was a silly cameo where the guest star referred to his previous higher-profile cameo in another TV series. Overall, this was one likable, thoroughly entertaining popcorn film. 6/10. 


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