Carry-On
“Carry-On” is a crackerjack of a Christmas thriller.
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“Carry-On” (now streaming on Netflix) is a throwback, real-time action-thriller that we don’t see real often these days. It’s reminiscent of the mid-budget programmers we’d get in the 1990s and early aughts that were made for and by adults. It’s kinda like John Badham’s “Nick of Time” … only good.
It’s Christmas morning and couple Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton) and Nora Parisi (singer-actress Sofia Carson) are reporting to work at LAX. He reluctantly works for TS-motherfuckin’-A. (They handle shit. Apologies, forgive me my “Get Out” reference.) She’s a customer relations lead for an airline.
They have much to be happy about. She just discovered that she’s pregnant with their first child, but Ethan’s still dissatisfied. He had a dream of becoming a police officer, but was turned away and never reapplied. Nora’s request of Ethan for Christmas is that he reapply rather than miserably whiling his days away at TSA.
His colleague and friend Jason Noble (Sinqua Walls of last year’s “White Men Can’t Jump” remake and “The Blackening”) has worked his way up the ladder while Ethan’s remained stagnant. His supervisor Phil Sarkowski (Indiana native and “Breaking Bad” veteran Dean Norris) realizes Ethan doesn’t want to be there and doesn’t much appreciate his attitude.
Ethan is snapped into action when he receives a call from an anonymous traveler (Jason Bateman, successfully going way against type). The caller tells Ethan that his associate (Theo Rossi, Juice on “Sons of Anarchy”) has Nora in his crosshairs and he must allow a traveler (Tonatiuh) and his carry-on containing dangerous contents slip through security undetected and undeterred lest she get shot in the head.
Police intervention comes in the form of Det. Elena Cole (the irreplaceable Danielle Deadwyler) and gets escalated all the way up to Homeland Security and Agent Alcott (Logan Marshall Green).
“Carry-On” is helmed by journeyman director Jaume Collet-Serra (he’s spent the bulk of his career making Liam Neeson and Dwayne Johnson movies) and penned by video game writer T.J. Fixman (he’s had a hand in many of the “Ratchet & Clank” games). It’s an efficient thriller that’s entertainingly reminiscent of “Die Hard 2” and Collet-Serra’s own “Non-Stop.”
I’ve dug Egerton dating back to his breakout in “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and his Ethan is an appealing lead who’s easy to sympathize with and even easier to root for. (The dude’s also giving Tom Cruise a run for his Best Screen Runner money … honorable mention to Robert Patrick as T-1000 and Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump.)
As likable as Egerton is, Bateman is just as hissable. He’s more Manson Family than Hogan Family. Today’s Friday the 13th and Vorhees isn’t the scariest Jason on the block. I want to see Bateman play more baddies because this guy gives good heel.
“Carry-On” is a crackerjack of a Christmas thriller. It’s a gift worth opening at your soonest convenience.