The Christmas season is upon us. That means crowds when we go shopping, the weather is turning cooler, houses in our neighborhoods are brightly lit, and we’re getting plenty of Christmas-themed entertainment at home and on the big screen. That’s certainly true with Red One, a new film that takes a different spin on Christmas, Santa Claus, and the efforts to safeguard his role in the world.

The film introduces us to Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans). As a kid, he developed a talent for finding people and things. He’s also developed a truly untrusting nature. We meet him as a child as he’s about to spoil Christmas for his cousins. Quickly we’re transported 30 years later, and it seems Jack hasn’t changed much. He’s on a job to help feed his gambling habit.

Next, we travel to Philadelphia where Santa (J.K. Simmons) is working a local Mall. We soon learn it’s one of the ways he keeps in touch with his constituents. There to provide protection is Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), the commander in charge of his security, dubbed the ELF. It’s a successful outing that helps prepare Santa, dubbed Red One, for his biggest night of the year, which is just over a day away.

Turns out that while Drift is still good at his job, he’s lost some faith in humanity. In the wake of those doubts, he’s decided to retire after one last Christmas. Before he gets his chance, a group invades the North Pole and Red One is snatched. Teaming with his support on the outside, led by Zoe (Lucy Liu), they search for answers. That leads them to Jack, who is soon paired with Drift to find Red One and save Christmas before it’s too late.

This film comes from Chris Morgan, who has worked on the Fast & Furious series for years, and Hiram Garcia, a writer from the series Young Rock. It’s directed by Jake Kasdan, who helmed Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level, so it’s a team familiar with Johnson and his talents. That comes through in this film, which is a blend of action, comedy, and holiday revelry.

This isn’t a serious movie, but it captures some of the fun of the season. It also puts a new spin on Santa Claus and his operations, taking viewers on an adventure that includes Gryla, the Christmas Witch, and Krampus along the way. The set pieces are interesting, and the action sequences add to the fun of the adventure.

The cast works well here, too. That includes supporting players played by Kiernan Shipka, Kristofer Hivju, and Nick Kroll, too. But I really enjoyed the back-and-forth with Evans and Johnson, who seem to be having fun with the story and the material.

Red One knows what it is and doesn’t try to stretch into something it’s not. It’s a fun holiday adventure with a few laughs, some action, and a story that holds your attention throughout its run time. It’s the perfect holiday season escape to the movies.

Red One opens nationwide Friday, November 15.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.