Christmas—the most magical time of the year—has the ability to stir up emotions that are as sweet as the scent of fresh pine trees and as warm as a cup of hot cocoa. We gather with family, exchange stories, and indulge in the joy of traditions. Oh, and let’s not forget the gifts—because what’s Christmas without a little bit of greed wrapped in glitter?

But if there’s one thing that makes this season even more special, it’s the holiday flicks that have become as essential as the Christmas cakes. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jake Lloyd in Jingle All the Way (1996) | Credit: 20th Century Fox

However, not all Christmas films hit the mark. Some, despite having big names and grand ideas, miss the sleigh ride altogether. And thus, making us wonder how it made it past the editing room. Take, for instance, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Jingle All the Way—a holiday comedy that left a trail of disappointment in its wake.

And as if that wasn’t enough to shake our faith in festive films, we now have Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Red One, a Christmas fantasy that also struggled to land its punch. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Jingle All the Way: An Overhyped Holiday Headache?

When Jingle All the Way hit theaters in 1996, it was supposed to be the next big thing in holiday comedies. The plot, centered around Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad as two fathers in a mad dash to buy the elusive Turbo-Man action figure for their kids on Christmas Eve, had the makings of a ridiculous but fun Christmas caper. We mean, what could go wrong? But, oh boy, a lot did.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Jingle All the Way (1996) | Credit: 20th Century Fox

So let’s talk about the numbers. Despite pulling in $129 million (via The Numbers), Jingle All the Way was pummeled by critics who couldn’t understand why this Christmas comedy was such a mess. Rotten Tomatoes awarded it a whopping 21% approval. The cherry on top? A lawsuit in 2001 accusing Fox of stealing the film’s concept, though that verdict was overturned three years later (see LA Times). 

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In addition to Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Jingle All the Way packs in Rita Wilson, Jake Lloyd, Robert Conrad, Jim Belushi, Martin Mull, Harvey Korman, Curtis Armstrong, and Richard Moll—basically, a Christmas stocking stuffed with star power.

Red One: The Rock’s Not-So-Rock-Solid Christmas Flick

Now, let’s talk about Red One. Released on November 15, 2024, Dwayne Johnson’s attempt at creating a Christmas action-adventure comedy was meant to take the holidays by storm. The concept had promise—Santa gets kidnapped, and the head of North Pole security (The Rock) teams up with a hacker (Chris Evans) to save Christmas. It sounds fun, right?

But much like Jingle All the Way, this movie missed the sleigh entirely.

Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson in Red One (2024) | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

While Red One had a stellar cast (Lucy Liu, J.K. Simmons, and even MCU’s Chris Evans), the movie felt like a rushed attempt to cash in on the holiday action trend. Even with a $200 million budget, it couldn’t manage to win over fans, grossing only $164 million globally (see The Numbers). 

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So, how does Jingle All the Way stack up against Red One? Well, when it comes to Christmas movie disasters, the former is so spectacularly bad that it earned a spot at number nine on Rotten Tomatoes’ ‘The Worst Christmas Movies’ list. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1996 holiday flop is so rotten, it makes Red One look like the gift that keeps on giving!

Regardless, this holiday season, if you’re looking for a laugh—or maybe just a reason to shake your head—Jingle All the Way and Red One will both get the job done. But don’t say we didn’t warn you: some Christmas disasters are best left in the past… or at least at the bottom of your holiday movie pile.

Red One is available in theaters, while Jingle All the Way is streaming on Disney+.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire