Red One initially presented as a rather peculiar undertaking, resembling an action film-inspired Santa Claus movie featuring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans. It almost seemed to be a self-parody. However, following poor critic reviews and a moderate box office performance, Red One has astonishingly become the most significant movie debut on Amazon Prime Video to date.

Red One's Journey from Theatrical Flop to Streaming Success

Initial Reception and Theatrical Run

Red One recently made its way to Amazon Prime Video. As a Prime-based movie, despite its theatrical showing, it is accessible for free to subscribers. Just a week before Christmas, it rapidly reached 50 million viewers, setting a record for the entire platform. The movie is still being screened on 3,000 screens in North America. Jennifer Salke, the head of Amazon MGM, had this to say about this development: "Given the audience response to 'Red One' both in theaters and on Prime Video, the film will clearly be a perennial holiday favorite for years to come. With 'Red One,' there was no doubt that strategy needed to include a theatrical release and associated marketing campaign, which drove audiences to theaters and generated awareness for the film with viewers who would ultimately tune in on Prime Video. It's rewarding to see our plan pay off for customers, and we are incredibly thankful to the entire filmmaking team and cast who helped make it happen."

Critic and Audience Reviews

Red One received a dismal 30% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics, indicating a significant lack of approval. However, its audience score was an impressive 90%, highlighting the significant difference between critical and audience perceptions. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's draw cannot be underestimated. He is no stranger to movies that receive mixed critic reviews but are well-received by the audience. A similar example is Red Notice on Netflix, which had a 37% critic score but a 92% audience score and became one of Netflix's most successful original movies.

The Impact of Christmas

During Christmas, there are typically few other high-profile new Christmas movies with A-list stars. This alone is sufficient to generate interest. While Red One may not have been worth the expense of a trip to the theater with the family for $60, as a free Amazon Prime Video movie, it became an instant "oh sure let's watch that" moment for many subscribers. The large number of viewers in just a few days is a remarkable achievement. It remains to be seen if this will lead to a sequel, especially considering the underperforming box office. Perhaps the next chapter will choose to bypass theaters and go directly to Amazon.Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.