Carry-On (2024)

 After a long stretch of gloomy awards season films, the Netflix original “Carry-On” offers a breath of fresh air with its straightforward charm. Remember when Hollywood used to pump out action thrillers set in a single location, often dubbed “Die Hard on a ” movies? These films were guilty pleasures but also included some genuinely well-crafted action like “Air Force One” (on a plane), “Speed” (on a bus), or “Under Siege” (on a ship). While Jaume Collet-Serra's latest may not quite reach those heights, its no-frills approach is a delightful reminder of a time when Hollywood wasn’t bogged down by complex mythologies or multiverses. It may run a bit long and lean heavily into silliness, but that won’t bother most viewers. In a year with few decent holiday films (apologies to the two “Red One” enthusiasts), this could very well be the standout Christmas movie of the season. (Feel free to debate whether that ties it back to “Die Hard.”)

“Carry-On” features the talented Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek, a TSA agent who finds himself entangled in a terrorist scheme. After a lengthy introduction to Ethan’s girlfriend Nora (Sofie Carson), who also works at the airport and is expecting their child, we follow Ethan on one of the busiest travel days of the year: Christmas Eve. While working at a packed security checkpoint, he receives an earpiece and a text instructing him to put it in. A mysterious stranger (Jason Bateman) tells him he must follow orders or Nora will be in danger. All he has to do is let a bag pass through the X-ray machine without raising suspicion. It’s that straightforward. If he looks the other way, she’ll be safe, even though he knows it could cost countless others their lives.

Carry-On (2024)

The screenplay by T.J. Fixman is built on such an intelligent premise that it significantly enhances many aspects of “Carry-On,” even amidst its rough spots. It presents a classic dilemma reminiscent of The Trolley Problem: Would you take an action that could lead to the death of your partner, the mother of your child, if it meant saving countless innocent lives? Initially, Egerton, who can shine as a charismatic actor when given the right material, seemed out of place. However, he intentionally opts for a more subdued approach, allowing the surrounding action and the more flamboyant performances to shine. This is yet another likely underrated moment in the career of a consistently impressive actor.

And shine they do. Dressed in a black coat and hat, Bateman fully embraces his villainous role. I would love to see him take on more characters like this, fully aware of the expectations and delivering a menacing performance without being overly dramatic. Collet-Serra rounds out the cast with a talented group of character actors, including Logan Marshall-Green, Theo Rossi, Dean Norris, and a standout performance from Danielle Deadwyler as the agent who begins to piece everything together. Does she do this in a way that challenges conventional logic? Absolutely. Yet, we live in a culture that tends to obsess over such narrative details in pursuit of social validation. The reality is that many of the best action films occasionally set logic aside to achieve their goals, and Deadwyler does an impressive job of anchoring some of the film's more outrageous elements. This is especially true in a wild action sequence set to “Last Christmas,” which had me both laughing and gasping in equal measure.

Carry-On (2024)

Collet-Serra has shown his knack for straightforward action in several standout Liam Neeson films, such as “Run All Night” and “The Commuter,” as well as the highly entertaining “The Shallows.” Although he ventured into franchises with less successful projects like “Jungle Cruise” and “Black Adam,” he’s back in his element with “Carry-On,” a film that highlights his talent for pacing. What makes “Carry-On” feel so refreshing isn’t just the typically bleak awards season, but also the current action movie landscape, which often overlooks the audience's desire for a well-executed, simple storyline. After the fatigue from countless “Die Hard” imitations in the ’90s and ‘00s, perhaps it’s time to welcome them back into the cultural conversation.

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