Film

Red Notice

Name: Red Notice
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Released: 2021
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, Ritu Arya, Chris Diamantopoulos

A globe-trotting heist comedy pairing an FBI agent with two rival art thieves. Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot trade barbs across continents while pursuing ancient artifacts. It's slick, enormous in scope, and built entirely around chemistry and wisecracks. Comfort food for people who like their action with a laugh track.

TMDb rating

3.4

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy big, glossy caper comedies where the banter between three mismatched leads carries the scenes and the set pieces are staged for pure showmanship over plausibility.

Skip it if you want tight, grounded crime plotting; the story leans on coincidence and loose logic, and the jokes sometimes land a beat late or repeat the same gag too often.

What it asks of you: Around two hours of easygoing, fast-cutting escapism, with little to track beyond who is double-crossing whom and a steady supply of globe-trotting spectacle.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Jungle Cruise2021

Johnson and Reynolds reunite with effortless charm in another exotic-location adventure. The banter lands, the set pieces are colorful, and it knows exactly what it is: a fun Saturday night.

But Relies heavily on the leads' likability rather than plot surprises. If their dynamic doesn't click for you immediately, there's not much else to anchor it.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.2015

Stylish spy caper with a similar premise: mismatched allies forced together across exotic cities. Guy Ritchie's direction gives it visual flair beyond the script, and the three-way tension crackles.

But More stylistically mannered than Red Notice. The cold-war setting and elliptical editing won't feel as immediately accessible.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw2019

Johnson and a charismatic co-star in an action-comedy where insults are currency. Ridiculously scaled, utterly unpretentious, and genuinely funny without apology.

But Leans hard into absurdity and cartoon violence. If you want grounded stakes or consequential peril, this isn't it.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Red Notice

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Midnight Run1988

Both films hang entirely on the friction and eventual camaraderie between characters on opposite sides. The heist or mission is almost secondary to watching people you like banter under pressure.

Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin as a bounty hunter and bail-jumper crossing the country trading insults and reluctant respect. It invented this dynamic: brilliant chemistry, constant wisecracks, genuine affection underneath.

But Aesthetically it's very '80s, and the pacing is gentler than modern action-comedies. It moves at its own unhurried rhythm.

Tower Heist2011

Ben Stiller leads a misfit crew through a glamorous heist. It has the same DNA: comedy-first tone, ensemble chemistry, and the thrill of characters playing against type.

But Dated humor and a less charismatic cast. The script doesn't have Red Notice's polish or star wattage.

Bullet Train2022

Brad Pitt and a colorful ensemble of assassins bounce comedic energy around a moving train. Fast, bloody, and aware of how silly the premise is.

But More violent and self-consciously arty than Red Notice. The tone pivots between genres; it might feel unfocused if you want consistent fun.

The Nice Guys2016

Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as mismatched investigators in 1970s LA. Genuinely hilarious dialogue, real chemistry, and surprisingly heartfelt beneath the comedy.

But Slower paced and more character-driven than Red Notice. The mystery matters more than the spectacle.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife2021

Ensemble action-comedy with genuine warmth and humor. It understands that charm and spectacle aren't enemies, and the cast clearly enjoys each other.

But Will feel overly nostalgic if you're not invested in the original films. Some find the tone uneven.

Ocean's Eleven2001

The template for stylish heists with likable criminals and witty dialogue. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and friends make a slick con look like the most fun you can have on film.

But Slower and less bombastic than Red Notice. Modern action-comedies have made the heist genre feel quaint.

Tropic Thunder2008

An ensemble action-comedy where everyone's in on the joke. Robert Downey Jr., Ben Stiller, and Jack Black create something that's actually quotable.

But Broader humor and dated satire. The mockery of action films might not land if you're already cynical about them.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang2005

Both are heist-adjacent comedies that prioritize smart banter and ensemble charm over plot coherence. Both understand that watching attractive people solve impossible problems with wit is the whole point.

Shane Black's Los Angeles crime comedy: Ryan Gosling as a thief, Robert Downey Jr. as a washed actor turned detective. Brilliantly plotted, genuinely funny, with a whip-smart script that rewards attention.

But The narration is intrusive and self-consciously clever. If meta-commentary exhausts you, this will annoy rather than delight.

Locked Down2021

Both use global circumstances (Red Notice's Interpol manhunt, Locked Down's pandemic) as the frame for unlikely people working together. But where Red Notice is pure spectacle, this finds intimacy and meaning in the same formula.

Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor confined to a lockdown heist. Tiny in scope but enormous in ambition: a high-wire romantic comedy about connection and possibility during constraint.

But Shot almost entirely during COVID lockdown in a limited space. If claustrophobia or minimalism bothers you, the production will feel deliberately small where Red Notice sprawls.