The opening heist of Red Notice is a spectacle—Dwayne Johnson scaling the side of a museum, Ryan Reynolds picking locks with panache, Gal Gadot swiping a priceless artifact with effortless grace. It’s a moment that should thrill, but instead, it feels like the cinematic equivalent of a fast-food meal: flashy, empty calories with little substance.

Rawson Marshall Thurber’s Red Notice is a film that wears its budget on its sleeve, flaunting A-list stars and global locations, yet struggling to coalesce into something more than a glossy, forgettable action-comedy. The premise—an Interpol agent tracking down two rival criminals after a daring heist—promises intrigue and humor, but the execution often falls flat.

The film’s strengths lie in its individual set pieces. The soundtrack, for instance, delivers 25 cues of propulsive writing, blending low brass swagger with sleek strings and rhythmic synths, creating moments of genuine tension and excitement. Scenes like the museum heist or a later train sequence showcase Thurber’s ability to craft visually engaging action sequences. Johnson, Reynolds, and Gadot each bring their star power, delivering performances that are serviceable but rarely transcendent.

However, Red Notice falters in its narrative structure and character development. The screenplay feels mechanistic, as if it were designed by a committee rather than written with any discernible artistic intent. The characters are one-dimensional, their interactions predictable, and the humor often lands with a thud. Reynolds’ Nolan Booth is supposed to be the witty foil, but his one-liners feel tired and recycled from a dozen other action comedies.

The film’s pacing is another issue. At two hours and 15 minutes, Red Notice feels bloated, with too many scenes that serve little purpose beyond padding the runtime. The plot twists are telegraphed miles in advance, and the resolution feels rushed and unsatisfying. Thurber’s direction lacks the finesse of his contemporaries, often relying on flashy but meaningless shots that do little to enhance the story.

Red Notice is a film that aspires to be a global blockbuster but ultimately settles for being a competent but unremarkable entry in the action-comedy genre. It’s a movie that will likely find an audience among casual viewers looking for a mindless diversion, but it offers little reward for those seeking depth or originality.

The film’s reliance on its A-list cast is both its greatest strength and its most significant weakness. Johnson, Reynolds, and Gadot are undeniably charismatic, but their performances here are largely forgettable. Johnson’s John Hartley is a generic action hero, Reynolds’ Nolan Booth is a tired comedy trope, and Gadot’s Sarah Black / The Bishop is little more than a glamorous antagonist. The chemistry between the trio is palpable, but it’s not enough to elevate the material.

Thurber’s direction is similarly uneven. He has a knack for staging action sequences, but his handling of dialogue-driven scenes is often clumsy. The film’s humor, which seems to be aiming for the irreverent tone of something like The Nice Guys, frequently misses the mark, falling back on lazy gags and awkward comedic beats.

One of the most disappointing aspects of Red Notice is its lack of thematic depth. The film touches on themes of justice, redemption, and the nature of criminality, but it never delves deeply into any of them. Instead, it settles for a superficial exploration of these ideas, content to let its flashy set pieces and A-list cast carry the day.

In comparison to other recent action comedies, Red Notice falls short. Films like The Nice Guys or Deadpool 2 manage to balance humor and action with a level of sophistication that Red Notice simply doesn’t achieve. Even Thurber’s own Central Intelligence, while far from a masterpiece, had a charm and wit that Red Notice sorely lacks.

Ultimately, Red Notice is a film that will likely be forgotten as quickly as it was watched. It’s a movie that aspires to be more than the sum of its parts but ultimately fails to rise above the mundane. For casual viewers looking for a mindless diversion, it might provide some fleeting entertainment.