Red Notice didn't perform so well amongst critics and viewers, showing that The Rock needs to change up his movie star formula. Having started as a popular WWE wrestler, there's no doubt that Johnson has capitalized on his natural charm and magnetic personality. However, with critical and box office performances beginning to wane, there are some indications that he needs to change his approach to ensure continued success.
After receiving acclaim in the wrestling world, The Fast and The Furious franchise. Dwayne Johnson is now recognized as one of the highest-paid and highest-grossing actors of all time.
Despite his success, however, there is a sense that Dwayne Johnson has been rehashing a lot of similar roles, leading to a sense of box office fatigue among viewers. Most recently, Netflix's Red Notice got bad reviews despite its popular run on the streaming service and an all-star cast. The film's reception should act as a wake-up call for the star, perhaps providing a window of opportunity for personal development. While The Rock is definitely a crowd-pleaser, the wrestler can only make so many movies in which he plays the part of the buff guy with a big heart. Taking on blockbuster after shiny blockbuster is no longer doing his career any favors – in order to remain relevant, he must expand his repertoire. For all his accolades, the star's supposed movie formula is now no longer enough, meaning he must look to evolve as a performer.
Dwayne Johnson's Movie Star Formula Explained
According to a 2018 interview via Dwayne Johnson proves his acting chops by taking on very specific types of characters: "highly skilled bad-asses who are also sensitive and vulnerable, flawed yet decent men with big biceps and bigger hearts." Truthfully, his roles don't sound all that different than how the actor portrays himself in real life. Dwayne Johnson refuses to take on characters that are too dark, saying that audiences will never see him as a "borderline psychopath suffering from depression". He also states that while he ires his friends that take on these complex characters, it's simply not his goal as an entertainer. The Rock would rather "take care" of audiences by showing the power of overcoming one's struggles instead of sinking into them deeper.
Johnson's movie star formula isn't uncharacteristic of how the actor presents himself. Some may see it as a smart move for the Jungle Cruise actor to play to his strengths. After all, he's made plenty of money based on his ideals. The Rock isn't falling short of accolades with the numerous Teen's Choice, People's Choice, and Kid's Choice awards he has under his belt. As well, the formula has allowed Dwayne Johnson to become a household name; something that wouldn't happen if he stayed in the pro-wrestling business. However, as a movie like Red Notice shows, sometimes the formula needs some tweaking.
Red Notice Shows Johnson's Formula Is Waning
In Red Notice, Dwayne Johnson plays the role of an art thief disguised as an FBI agent who is partnered up with Gal Gadot's character, The Bishop. On paper, the film is set up to be a success. It has substantial funding and an interesting storyline. There is plenty of action, intrigue, and stunt sequences meant to blow audiences away. Even 's cast and characters set the blockbuster up for success. Despite all of this, however, critics panned the film. As of now the movie only scores a 35% on Rotten Tomatoes – though it does well with its audience score – coupled with a mediocre 6.4 stars on IMDB. So with studios setting up Red Notice to be a huge hit, why did it bomb?
The short answer is that audiences are getting tired of watching movies cut from the same cloth. Red Notice somehow feels dated and tired, which says something since it's an original film. In a way, the movie does a disservice to the principal casts' talents. Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, and Dwayne Johnson all play caricatures of other roles that they've performed in the past, perhaps proving that Reynolds and Johnson are better off with Disney. Reynolds brings his snarky humor, Gadot is a seductive and powerful woman, and The Rock is who he always is: "a highly-skilled badass that's sensitive and vulnerable".
Red Notice makes it abundantly clear that viewers are tired of the same old thing. Since audiences are over shiny blockbusters of little substance, it means that it's time for The Rock to reinvent himself. Other action stars like Will Smith and Arnold Schwarzenegger had to move into different projects in order to stay relevant. There's no question that Dwayne Johnson is a smart guy when it comes to his career; which hopefully means that reinvention is just around the corner.
Dwayne Johnson Needs To Make Darker Projects
Viewers always wonder Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile), or Disney actor Ross Lynch in My Friend Dahmer. True, Dwayne Johnson doesn't have to play a serial killer to maintain his popularity, but something of substance is better than no substance at all.
While Johnson says that he only wants to take on positive character arcs, a darker role would showcase his talents in ways that have yet to be seen. The Rock does have some demons from his past to draw experiences from, some things Snitch, prove that Dwayne Johnson is capable of more interesting and intense roles. Furthermore, he wouldn't have to change his formula that much if the goal is to show audiences a character that can overcome obstacles. The problem with it now is that his characters don't really have anything to overcome, a darker role could fix this while still giving in to what Johnson wants from his projects. If the star wants to remain popular, mixing some varying content into his repertoire will help fight some of the fatigue that viewers feel. Especially after watching another cookie-cutter movie like Red Notice.
