Carry-On, 2024.
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.
Starring Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Dean Norris, Sinqua Walls, Logan Marshall-Green, Theo Rossi, Josh Brener, Tonatiuh Elizarraraz, Joe Williamson, Curtiss Cook, Gil Perez-Abraham, Benito Martinez, Edwin Kho, Reisha Reynolds, and Adam Stephenson.
SYNOPSIS:
A young TSA agent fights to outsmart a mysterious traveler who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto a Christmas Eve flight.
While watching the ludicrous but wildly tense and entertaining Carry-On, one question went through my mind: is this directed by Jaume Collet-Serra? As someone who goes into movies as blind as possible (something that varies from film to film depending on its level of unavoidable exposure, anticipation, and word-of-mouth), the similarities between his other riveting airport thriller (Non-Stop) and Liam Neeson collaborations were particularly striking from the early goings, as if this was a return to the proverbial well following a disastrous foray into the now defunct DCEU with Black Adam.
Once again, working within a confined space (LAX airport this time) and a plot centered on some form of threatened violence or domestic terrorism (courtesy of a screenplay by T.J. Fixman), there is also a character-driven moral dilemma pushing that suspense so that when the proceedings fully embrace propulsive action, there is purpose and stakes beyond saving lives and witnessing the hero get his unknowing love out of harm’s way.
Taron Egerton’s Ethan Kopek (sometimes struggling to plan a convincing American accent but otherwise more than serviceable here, especially in action hero mode) has worked TSA for three years with no ambition despite once brimming with passion to become a police officer. Now, he and his girlfriend Nora (Sofia Carson) are expecting a child, which has him contemplating money and promotions, although not necessarily for the most fulfilling reasons. Nora would prefer Ethan try the police academy again rather than merely going from one tedious airport security job to an equally soul-draining, unfulfilling one that pays slightly more.
Through some fortuitous timing and a plea to airport security director Phil Sarkowski (Dean Norris), Ethan gets a temporary upgrade on Christmas Eve working a baggage check scanner, eager to prove that he hasn’t lost his driver in life or will keep climbing the ladder. That commitment is instantly and seriously put to the test when he finds himself forced with an earpiece to listen to a mysterious “traveler” (a chilling Jason Bateman even when the performance is only heard and not seen behind dead, sociopathic eyes) who has deep and lightning fast connections, capable of having a henchmen execute Nora if he doesn’t allow a certain flyer’s bag through when it’s time.
Naturally, Ethan’s instinct is to inform law enforcement somehow, unaware that he is also being watched. He is routinely caught trying to flag everyone and anyone for help, although the narrative’s setup has already put a welcome twist on his motive. Ethan wants to ensure Nora’s safety, but he is also determined to prove that he is cut out for more responsible work and perhaps even a police officer despite rejection. The way this material unfolds isn’t Mark Wahlberg “if I were on that plane, nothing bad would have happened” machismo or savior wish-fulfillment fantasy but rather a man trying to walk the line between protecting others while also proving wrong how others perceive his approach to work and duty.
The first half smartly trusts that the conversation between Ethan and Traveler informs characterization while also playing into the tension at hand; it’s a film about identity as much as it is about saving the day. And while the film could stand to lose about 10 minutes from each half, it is a scintillating watch that knows what elements to play for drama and which to play for absurdity.
After all, this is a film about a deadly Russian nerve toxin that instantly kills anyone it touches, drowning them in their blood. There are also cutaways to law enforcement, such as Danielle Deadwyler’s Elena Cole, who investigates a similar murder and tries to connect some dots. It’s a dynamic also containing its fair share of preposterous plot swerves, but this is a film that knows to make what’s dumb fun and to keep the momentum barreling forward before anyone has time to contemplate the logistics and insanity of what’s happening.
Carry-On also has Taron Egerton doing his best Tom Cruise run impression when the urgency reaches its peak, not to mention a cackle-inducing one-liner that perfectly fits with the second-half embracement of ticking time clock action and the established identity themes. Those who have followed Jaume Collet-Serra’s career are aware that he can competently stage smaller-scale action sequences cleverly taking advantage of the environment, which is no exception here, given that one of them follows characters fighting and sliding down conveyor belts. This is an endearingly far-fetched, thrilling, well-characterized crowdpleaser worth carrying anywhere.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
