VFX Artists Confused By CGI Quality in $250 Million Dwayne Johnson Movie with 30% Rotten Tomatoes Score

Dwayne Johnson, widely recognized as a cinematic powerhouse, faces criticism regarding the CGI in his 2024 film, Red One. Johnson, who transitioned from wrestling to acting with his debut in 2001’s The Mummy Returns as the Scorpion King, has since built an extensive filmography. His roles span various genres, including comedy in films like The Tooth Fairy and Baywatch, as well as dramas such as Pain & Gain and Walking Tall.

Despite his versatility, Johnson’s strongest performances typically shine in the action and adventure categories. The star has delivered numerous highlights in this arena, including major roles in the Fast & Furious series, the acclaimed reboots Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel, The Next Level, the disaster film San Andreas, and the video game adaptation Rampage. Additionally, his voice portrayal of the demigod Maui in Disney’s Moana resulted in a significant box office triumph. Nonetheless, not all films in Johnson’s repertoire achieve critical or commercial success.

VFX Experts Review Red One

The Film’s Disappointing Performance

Unfortunately for Johnson, Red One has been deemed a box office disappointment. In the film, he portrays Callum Drift, a security officer for Santa Claus (played by J. K.Simmons), who teams up with the mischievous bounty hunter Jack O’Malley (portrayed by Chris Evans) to rescue Santa from kidnapping. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, and Nick Kroll. Despite its star power, Red One registered a mere $185.7 million in box office receipts, falling short of its substantial $250 million production budget, and received a bleak 30% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.

However, the narrative took a positive turn as the audience response was significantly more favorable, achieving a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its streaming release on Prime Video marked it as the most-watched movie premiere on the platform, suggesting that viewer interest may be greater than initial box office figures indicate.

In a recent critique on their official YouTube channel, Corridor Crew‘s VFX specialists Sam, Niko, and Wren dissected the visual effects of Red One. They focused on several scenes, including an action sequence set in the North Pole where Drift escapes from an avalanche. Criticism arose around the overwhelming use of CGI, with Niko stating, “The physical danger doesn’t really work when it’s so CGI-heavy, ” and Sam humorously lamenting the excessive virtual rocks present, marking a connection to Johnson’s wrestling identity as “The Rock.”Below is an excerpt from their discussion:

Niko: So this is a $250 million movie, huh? This does not look like $250 million worth of CGI.

Sam: Every scene is like a CGI fest… There’s so many CG rocks in this shot… And I’m not even talking about the one on the snowmobile.

Niko: Physical danger doesn’t really work when it’s so CGI-heavy. Like… “I’m gonna get crushed by this avalanche!” It’s like, no you’re not.

Wren: When he runs across the roof, it’s… alright, it’s green screen but then there’s a takeover… There’s a weird uncanniness to the takeover… It was probably CG the whole time.

Sam: It’s also got the weird motion blur thing going on…

The experts also evaluated a beach scene, highlighting how the original backgrounds had been entirely removed. Sam questioned, “Why didn’t you just film it on a cool island beach?” while Niko commented on the awkward lighting techniques. Here’s a glimpse of their remarks:

Sam: I was watching this scene and I was just like, “Why didn’t you just film it on a cool island beach, guys?… Why is everything replaced in the background?”

Niko: They just got that weird light wrap, where like everything light wraps, including the dark things.

Insights from Corridor Crew’s Review

Possible Allocation of Budget

Dwayne Johnson as Callum Drift wearing sunglasses in Red One

Despite the VFX team struggling with convincing CGI due to numerous sequences, it’s plausible that the hefty budget for Red One is more reflective of the talent involved rather than the visual effects. With Chris Evans being an established Marvel actor, he likely carries a significant fee, but Dwayne Johnson has also been associated with films notorious for their elevated budgets. Both Black Adam (approximately $260 million) and Jungle Cruise (around $200 million) suffered similar fates, suggesting that the financial demands for Johnson’s involvement may be a primary factor rather than solely the visual effects requirements.

For further insights, visit the full assessment by Corridor Crew.

Source & Images