Carry-on, a return to form for director Jaume Collet-Serra, checks all the boxes for a gripping ticking-clock action thriller and is a delightful addition to the list of films to watch during Christmas.
Ethan Kopek (Taron Edgerton) works as a TSA officer at Los Angeles International Airport, where his recently pregnant girlfriend, Nora (Sofia Carson), is a Northwind Airlines’ operations director. On a hectic Christmas day, Ethan is assigned to operate the X-ray machine for a test run. At the beginning of his shift, someone hands him a lost earbud, through which a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman) instructs and blackmails him into letting a passenger named Mateo (Tonatiuh) pass through without checking his luggage, or else Nora will be dead. As a result, a terrified Ethan follows all the instructions at first, but he soon learns that the bag contains a deadly virus called Novichok, and the traveler intends to release it onto the plane, which carries 250 people. It is now up to Ethan to devise a plan to stop the traveler and save lives.
Carry-On does a great job of cornering Ethan from all sides as the traveler manipulates and forces him to do what he wants, even though Ethan tries everything to get out of this jam—from calling the police to using invisible ink on a boarding pass to inform his senior colleague—but to no avail. In addition to being monitored, the villain’s presence at the airport further complicates Ethan’s ability to make any moves. By the way, the villain’s presence at the airport is brought to light through expertly executed sound design and the strategic use of echoes.
Furthermore, Carry-On excels at utilizing its limited setting, similar to films like Red Eye (2006) and Die Hard (1988), primarily set on an airplane and at Nakatomi Plaza, respectively. Here, the airport setting is effectively employed to limit further Ethan’s ability to act, thereby increasing tension and generating claustrophobia. As a result, the film succeeds in putting our protagonist in an impossible situation, where there seems to be no way out for him to avoid the Novichok virus from boarding the plane, intensifying the sense of urgency and piquing the audience’s attention. For the film to be compelling, the screenplay requires that Ethan deal with this dangerous situation in a way that must not appear cliched, unnatural, or illogical. Fortunately, Ethan manages to devise a reasonable solution to the problem that is consistent with his character (we don’t want him to formulate a genius plan because that’s not who he is).
Carry-On also benefits from a well-developed characterization of its central character, Ethan. Upon learning that Nora is expecting a child, Ethan dreads what lies ahead in his career. He has been unhappy and unfulfilled professionally since failing the police academy exam, an opportunity he had longed for. He doesn’t seem to have control over his life and feels lost. The villain expertly exploits these traits of Ethan’s personality to control and get him to do their bidding. As a result, Ethan faces the challenging task of dealing with a formidable antagonist and saving several lives. This paves the way for the film to craft a satisfying little character arc for Ethan, in which he goes from being completely helpless, clueless, and powerless to finally taking control of his life by confronting his greatest challenge and overcoming it.
Apart from the main plot, which revolves around Ethan, the screenplay by T.J. Fixman keeps the side plot involving LAPD detective Elena Cole concise and engaging. Elena Cole, a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department, is investigating the murder of some Russians that occurs in the opening scene. She manages to uncover the villains’ plot and reach the airport in time to help Ethan, and the entire thing works well without being tedious. Additionally, she is a part of the film’s most impressive action scene, which unfolds in a car speeding on the highway to the airport, where she engages in combat with a fake agent pretending to be from Homeland Security. The entire action is shot in a spectacular 360-degree single shot.
From a performance standpoint, Taron Edgerton seamlessly fits into the role of Ethan and delivers a convincing performance. Jason Bateman imbues his character with his signature brand of dry smugness and unpredictability while also adding an unexpectedly likable dimension to his psychotic persona, making him a compelling antagonist.
A perfect popcorn flick to watch during the Christmas holidays, Carry On is one of the best films Netflix has released this year.
Carry-On movie links: Wikipedia, Letterboxd
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