In spy parlance, a “red notice” gives agents legal authority to find and arrest suspects. Adapted from a novel by former special forces operator Andy McNab, SAS: Red Notice takes that one step further, sending vacationing agent Tom Buckingham (Sam Heughan) off on his own to defeat a terrorist attack on the Channel Tunnel.
Tom’s not technically alone, he’s taking his potential fiancée Sophie Hart (Hannah John-Kamen) to Paris to propose. She’s skeptical about his job, worried that his missions have erased his moral compass. The action genre being what it is, she will soon be rooting for Tom to kill as many villains as he can.
A long prologue finds the Black Swans, an elite mercenary group, disrupting peaceful protests against a pipeline by massacring the residents of a rural village. Led by William Lewis (Tom Wilkinson), the Swans show no mercy, except for William’s disappointing son Oliver (Owain Yeoman), who would rather negotiate than kill.
His more bloodthirsty sister Grace (Ruby Rose) fails to prevent a survivor from uploading a smartphone video of the incident to the internet. Result: a red notice against Black Swan leaders. The assault, a protracted battle in a country manor, is led by Tom and his buddy Declan Smith (Tom Hopper), overseen by shadowy military figure George Clements (Andy Serkis).
The siblings escape to plot their next move: hijacking a Eurostar passenger train after it enters the Channel Tunnel. So, yes, it’s a long lead in to Die Hard in the Chunnel.
The Vertical Entertainment and Redbox Entertainment release, available on demand as of March 16, boasts an unusually high-profile cast. The always professional Wilkinson delivers a crisp performance, while Serkis finds ways to flesh out what could have been a stereotyped character. Ruby Rose continues her string of scowling, glowering anti-heroes. Her sensational presence is undimmed by a role that fails to live up to her potential.
Even the supporting players are strong. Hannah John-Kamen could have been annoying and shrill, but she plays Sophie expertly, winning sympathy. Buffed-up Tom Hopper could easily have taken the lead here, but is relegated to the sidelines for much of the film.
Sam Heughan, best-known as Jamie Fraser in Outlander, has the physique of an action hero but few of the physical skills. Perhaps undermined by the stunt team, Heughan seems stiff and awkward in his fights. Tom Buckingham may be the only special forces operative never to have seen Die Hard, because he sure can’t figure out the bad guys or their plots. He keeps stumbling into the same confrontations, unable to outwit villains who, let’s face it, aren’t the brightest foils.
Director Magnus Martens, a veteran of TV series like The Walking Dead, handles the large-scale scenes well enough, although the action is more sound and fury than credible stunts. What sinks SAS: Red Notice, apart from its leaden star, is a plot that is far-fetched and predictable at the same time.
Working in the movie’s favor: the professionalism of its cast and crew, and respect for viewers. SAS: Red Notice takes its mission to entertain seriously.
