‘Carry-On’ Review: Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman Face Off in Netflix’s Satisfyingly Tense Airport Thriller

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As a seasoned gamer of life, having clocked countless hours navigating the labyrinthine corridors of airports and the intricate world of surveillance thrillers, I’ve found myself immersed in Jaume Collet-Serra’s latest offering, “Carry-On”. This Netflix gem, premiering on Dec 13, is a rollercoaster ride that’ll make you question your trust in the TSA agents and the mysterious travelers lurking in the crowds.

As the manager of LAX’s transportation security officers begins Carry-On, Jaume Collet-Serra’s subtle yet tense thriller, he cheerily welcomes his sleepy team, but his tone is heavily laced with irony.

This Christmas Eve finds the airport bustling with activity, making it far from a peaceful start of the day. The pressure is immense on the many agents tasked with guiding nervous and agitated travelers through security checks. The constant scanning of bags, thorough body searches, and the continual changes in guidelines regarding shoes and laptops can be stressful for a population already fatigued by post-9/11 security measures. In truth, it’s not a good morning – and for Ethan Kopek (played brilliantly by Taron Egerton), things are about to take a turn for the worse.

The Netflix series titled “Carry-On” debuts this Friday, Dec. 13, portrays a day in the life of a laid-back TSA agent, Ethan, who might face his toughest workday yet. Initially, things seem routine as Ethan and his girlfriend Nora (played by Sofia Carson) celebrate their unanticipated and joyful pregnancy news. The thought of parenthood stirs Ethan’s apprehensions about maturity (“I thought I would be more advanced before this happened,” he confesses), while Nora, having just been promoted to an airport management role, motivates him to reconsider applying for the police academy exam. This way, she suggests, he could strive for the quintessential American dream – becoming a police officer.

However, Ethan, who was deeply affected by his initial rejection, is now determined to increase his earnings. On that particular workday, he approaches his supervisor Phil (Dean Norris) for a promotion or an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities. With some persuasion from Jason (Sinqua Walls), Phil assigns Ethan the task of handling bag scans.

Without Ethan or his fellow security agents being aware, a secretive individual required a hazardous item to pass through LAX security checks. This enigmatic man (Jason Bateman) and his accomplices, including one portrayed by Theo Rossi, had strategically arranged for Jason to occupy that specific seat. Once they discover Ethan as their unwitting piece, the group swiftly adapts their scheme to extort him instead.

Based on a solid screenplay by T.J. Fixman (from the movie “Ratchet & Clank”), Collet-Serra (known for “Black Adam” and “The Shallows”) skillfully creates a gripping tale of surveillance, similar to films like “Eagle Eye” (2008) and “Phone Booth” (2002). Just as Shia LaBeouf’s character Jerry, Michelle Monaghan’s Rachel, and Colin Farrell’s Stuart were controlled by an unknown blackmailer, Zac Efron’s Ethan finds himself in a similar predicament. Instructions are delivered to Ethan through a small earpiece left by a casual traveler. Like its predecessors, “Carry-On” builds tension by exploring the chilling implications of increased government surveillance and the gradual erosion of personal privacy under the guise of national security. While it may not offer groundbreaking insights into these themes, it serves as a timely reminder of how relatively new this all-encompassing system is.

Carry-On picks up speed, transitioning from the slow, personal life of Ethan to the lively chaos of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Initially, the movie’s atmosphere feels like a workplace comedy, featuring a stressed boss, an overzealous coworker (Joe Williamson), and a charismatic hire with multiple jobs (Gil Perez-Abraham). The supporting cast, who play these side characters, deliver delightful performances, injecting humor into the tense narrative.

Collet-Serra and DP Lyle Vincent (authors of ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’ and ‘Bad Education’) depict some striking sequences portraying TSA agents in their daily work, such as an instance where Jason attempts to calm a disgruntled audience and facilitate weary travelers who are tired of unpredictable screenings to board their flights. These scenes show the human side of agents who, like passengers, are reluctant to enforce these regulations.

As his coworkers struggle to cope with a disastrous journey, Ethan finds himself tense following recent threats against Nora’s life. Throughout the movie, an enigmatic traveler imposes strict conditions on their arrangement: If Ethan doesn’t allow the bag to pass, Nora will perish. Unwilling to submit to this covert intimidation, Ethan’s determination ignites the main plot of “Carry-On“.

A nail-biting game of cat and mouse unfolds as Ethan attempts to outsmart the traveler and his accomplice, with both parties engaged in a clever battle of wits. The outstanding performances by Egerton and Bateman significantly boost the appeal and success of Carry-On. Despite the decreasing impact of their recurring confrontations as TSA agent and traveler, these actors skilfully sustain the movie’s suspense and audience interest. As their rivalry evolves into a balanced contest, anticipation grows over who will outsmart whom, adding to the excitement. Bateman delivers an impressive portrayal of the villain, while Egerton finds his stride as a working-class American determined not to lose his job. In Rocketman, the star convincingly moves beyond his character’s lazy exterior to reveal the qualities that make him a hero.

Simultaneously with Ethan’s conflict with the traveler, there’s a partially developed subplot about the local police investigating a possible connection to an event. However, the events that trigger the intense airport suspense are not as well-developed, and these scenes, which feature Danielle Deadwyler in a somewhat underutilized role, are among the less effective ones in Carry-On.

In the movie “The Piano Lesson”, the actress portrays Elena Cole, a detective who senses something fishy about an enigmatic fire at the beginning of the film. By picking up on subtle hints, she deduces that a perilous plot is unfolding. However, the credibility of this subplot is marred by awkwardness reminiscent of the implausible scenes in F. Gary Gray’s “Heist”. Consequently, this storyline raises more questions than the “Carry-On” series could reasonably address or even resolve – a lesson that underscores the wisdom of keeping baggage light when embarking on any cinematic journey.

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2024-12-13 03:25