The story centers on a kidnapping from the North Pole city of Myra, which prompts the security commander—played by Dwayne Johnson—to join forces with a mercenary hacker, Chris Evans, to find the missing person, portrayed by JK Simmons. Their search leads them to Aruba and then into the unsettling domain of Krampus, who is Santa’s estranged adopted brother. The question arises: could Grýla, played by Kiernan Shipka, be responsible for this scheme? “Red One” (2024) blends elements from the Santa Claus legends with the style of Marvel's Thor films to create a really exciting Christmas movie. There are parallels throughout; you’ll notice something resembling the Bifröst Bridge in Myra, and Grýla shares similarities with Hela. The advanced flying technology and creatures like trolls and ogres also echo familiar themes. The film's inventiveness is remarkable, delivering one funny scene after another—like the Mythological Creatures Protection Agency (or whatever its official name may be), the portals hidden in toy stores, E.L.F., and Santa’s ability to fit down narrow chimneys. It manages to entertain both children and adults, even those kids who are now grown up. Kiernan Shipka was 23 years old during filming while playing the villain; I recognized her talent after seeing “Totally Killer” and knew she had something special. Lucy Liu also appears in a significant role as Myra’s security director. The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 3 minutes, and it was filmed in Georgia (Atlanta, Savannah, and Jekyll Island) and Hawaii (Honolulu and Oahu). GRADE: A

Source on TMDB