The Rock's holiday fiasco: Bold comparisons amid flops
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has not been receiving favourable press lately. Media outlets worldwide report on his problematic behaviour on film sets. He has now made himself a laughingstock by comparing his new holiday film to Christopher Nolan's work.
The Rock was recently accused of causing the production of "Red One" to cost an additional £40 million due to his star behaviour. Johnson was reportedly habitually late to shoots, which extended the working time of the entire crew, resulting in extra costs. Additionally, journalists reported that The Rock urinates into bottles. The star recently commented on these reports, confirming the bottle use but denying being late to work and causing problems. However, it seems that American media have started to take a negative view of The Rock, pointing out his immodest words about "Red One".
The Rock like Christopher Nolan
What is "Red One" about? After the kidnapping of Father Christmas, the head of security at the North Pole (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with a notorious bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in an action-packed mission to save Christmas. It's a typical action film that families can watch in cinemas during the pre-holiday season. It fits perfectly into the trend of unique holiday films that are a response to Christmas romantic comedies. In 2022, such a production was "Violent Night" with David Harbour.
"Red One" is receiving poor reviews. Meanwhile, The Rock boldly states that after watching "Oppenheimer" in IMAX technology, sitting in the same seat as Christopher Nolan, he desired the same for his production. "Legitimately, the biggest screens possible are Imax. I was midway through shooting Red One, and I had an opportunity to see Oppenheimer. It was amazing, but I was thinking: 'Red One on this screen and with this technology could be game over,'" he said boldly in one interview.
However, "Red One" did not succeed on the level of Nolan’s film. "Oppenheimer" earned nearly a billion dollars worldwide and won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and for actors Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr.
Meanwhile, "Red One," with a budget of €240 million, earned only €24 million during its international premiere. The film will be released in U.S. cinemas on 15 November, but forecasts predict a weak opening at around €19 million.
Critics are also not favourable to the production. Owen Gleiberman from "Variety" wrote in his review: "I'm not sure that a Hollywood movie has ever kicked off the season with less true Christmas spirit than 'Red One.'"
