Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and even Netflix action movies occasionally manage to rise above their underwhelming reputation. Despite the streaming giant’s spotty track record with high-profile action fare like Lift, The Gray Man, Red Notice, and The Adam Project, every so often it delivers a pulse-pounding thrill ride that exceeds its usual formulaic trappings. Films like J.C. Chandor’s Triple Frontier and Richard Linklater’s Hit Man come to mind as standouts that break free from the glossy, soundstage-heavy feel of Netflix’s usual fare.
Jaume Collet-Serra wouldn’t seem like the next director to add to that list, given his recent track record with disappointing Dwayne Johnson vehicles like Jungle Cruise and Black Adam. However, his holiday thriller Carry-On defies expectations, moving quickly and building enough tension to make it a surprisingly worthwhile entry in the Netflix action canon.
Carry-On follows TSA agent Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton) through what should have been just another hectic Christmas Eve shift at the airport. Already juggling the chaos of holiday travel with the pressure to prove his worth to his boss, Ethan is angling for a promotion that could ease the financial strain as he and his girlfriend Nora (Sofia Carson) plan for their future. But his routine stress is amplified to a breaking point when he receives a mysterious earpiece connecting him to an unknown voice.
The stranger issues a chilling ultimatum: if Ethan doesn’t allow a dangerous bag through the TSA checkpoint without inspection, every facet of his life—including his loved ones—will be destroyed. Ethan has no idea what’s in the bag, but he’s warned that flagging it could trigger catastrophic consequences, including a bomb that would kill countless innocent travelers. What unfolds is a relentless life-or-death dilemma packed with twists and moral quandaries as Ethan tries to navigate the impossible situation and keep the airport—and himself—out of harm’s way.
On the other end of the earpiece is an enigmatic traveler voiced by Jason Bateman. Known for his ability to blend charm with underlying menace, Bateman brings a sinister edge to this role, making the character both unpredictable and chilling. His performance recalls the sly, quick-witted fox he voiced in Zootopia, though here, the stakes are deadlier and his ruthlessness more pronounced. There’s a cold calculation in his voice that heightens the tension, keeping Ethan—and the audience—on edge throughout.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra leans into his signature style with Carry-On, a mix of high-tension thrills and unapologetically shlocky plotting. Collet-Serra has built a career on crafting B-tier action films, and this one might be his most enthralling yet, even as it veers into predictable territory. The gears of the story are always visible, with new twists engineered almost arbitrarily to maintain momentum. Bateman’s character, in particular, seems to have an endless bag of tricks and scapegoats, conveniently escaping any situation where Ethan might gain the upper hand.
There’s a painfully thin B-plot involving LAPD detective Elena Cole (Danielle Deadwyler), who is investigating a murder that eventually ties into the events unfolding at the airport. While Deadwyler does her best with limited material, this subplot takes too long to find its footing and feels more like a distraction than a meaningful addition to the story. It does, however, feature a few twists of its own, including a brief side performance from Logan Marshall-Green and a standout action sequence inside a car.
That car scene is simultaneously the film’s most dynamic moment and its most glaringly artificial. The choreography feels exaggerated, with an over-reliance on CGI that robs the sequence of any visceral impact. It’s emblematic of Netflix’s action films over the past decade—flashy, fast-paced, and hollow at the core. While this sequence injects some energy into the proceedings, it also underscores the movie’s broader reliance on style over substance, a hallmark of the platform’s output.
Ultimately, Carry-On is a film that I think I kinda enjoyed in the moment, but it’s not one I’ll ever revisit or think about again. Taron Egerton remains a strong presence throughout, blending emotional engagement with the physicality necessary to anchor a high-stakes thriller. However, the increasingly absurd directions the film takes—filled with implausible twists and overblown theatrics—stretch credibility too thin.
By the time the credits roll, the nearly two-hour runtime feels bloated, and the corny execution of its holiday-timed action beats undercuts the tension it tries to build. While it delivers fleeting entertainment, Carry-On ultimately falls short of becoming the next Christmas action classic.
Score: 5/10
- Cast: Taron Egerton, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi, Logan Marshall-Green, Dean Norris, Sinqua Walls, Jason Bateman
- Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
- Genre: Action, Mystery, Thriller
- Runtime: 119 minutes
- Rated: PG-13
- Release Date: December 13, 2024
- Read about Carry-On (2024) on Wikipedia and IMDb
More Movies Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Jaume Collet-Serra has directed the following movies:
- House of Wax (2005)
- Orphan (2009)
- The Shallows (2016)
- Jungle Cruise (2021)
- Black Adam (2022)
- Carry-On (2024)
More Movies Starring Taron Egerton
Taron Egerton has starred in the following movies:
- Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
- Sing (2016)
- Rocketman (2019)
- Sing 2 (2021)
- Tetris (2023)
- Carry-On (2024)
More Movies Starring Jason Bateman
Jason Bateman has starred in the following movies:
- Juno (2007)
- Tropic Thunder (2008)
- Zootopia (2016)
- Game Night (2018)
- Air (2023)
- Carry-On (2024)
