‘Carry-On’ Lands in Netflix’s Top 5 Streaming Films, Dethroning a Fan-Favorite Movie

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Since its premiere over the holiday season, I must confess that “Carry-On” has been nothing short of a sensation for Netflix. It’s garnered impressive reviews and audience reactions, which have translated into an impressive number of views on the platform. As more and more people are tuning in to watch it, “Carry-On” is quickly making its way up Netflix’s list of top-performing films. In fact, just recently, it managed to displace a highly-acclaimed sequel directed by Rian Johnson from their Top 5!

Based on varying sources, the film “Carry-On” has climbed up Netflix’s list of most popular English language movies to the fifth spot, amassing a total of approximately 149.5 million views since its release on the streaming platform last month. By breaking into the Top 5, “Carry-On” has displaced “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” and now stands alongside “Red Notice” (currently in the number one position), “Don’t Look Up”, “The Adam Project”, and “Bird Box”. All these films have shown impressive viewership numbers, and it’s possible that “Carry-On” could potentially challenge their totals.

Under the guidance of director Jaume Collet-Serra and screenwriter T.J. Fixman, the movie titled Carry-On presents a story about TSA officer Ethan Kopek (played by Taron Egerton), who unexpectedly becomes the target of blackmail by a mercenary called Traveler (portrayed by Jason Bateman). The plot unfolds with Traveler demanding that Kopek secretly transport a deadly nerve agent on a flight during Christmas Eve. Alongside Egerton, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi, and Logan Marshall-Green also star in the film.

Carry-On Was an Immediate Hit for Netflix

From the very start, Carry-On proved itself as a triumph for Netflix. In only ten days, it managed to rack up an impressive 97 million views, making it the most-watched movie of any released on Netflix in 2024 during its debut week. It quickly became evident that this film was set to become one of the top-performing titles among Netflix’s streaming offerings.

The reviews for this film were surprisingly strong, as evidenced by its Rotten Tomatoes score of 88%. Critics agree that Taron Egerton and an unexpected Jason Bateman make excellent foils in “Carry-On,” a throwback thriller that neatly ties up all plot loose ends with its skillful execution. Even Letterboxd, known for being tough graders, gave it high praise. Considering that many Netflix originals often receive lackluster reviews, the critical reception has been quite unexpectedly positive.

It’s worth noting that the response from the audience, as per Rotten Tomatoes, seems to be more negative towards the movie than the professional critics. At present, the audience rating stands at a relatively poor 52%. Despite this less-than-favorable score, the movie has managed to draw in more viewers, possibly due to people wanting to verify if the low audience rating is accurate. Regardless, some audience members are enjoying it, and director Collet-Serra appreciates their feedback on his work.

What truly matters isn’t just the numbers, but the emotional responses of viewers to the film. After its release, I received numerous calls and messages, even from people who didn’t know I directed it. They only realized after seeing the credits and they were expressing their appreciation for it. At that point, I felt confident that the movie was resonating with its audience and making a connection.

Carry-On is currently streaming on Netflix.

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2025-01-08 03:01