Carry-On Movie Review: A terrific surface-level thriller with smart writing

Filmmaker Jaume Collet Sera’s Carry-On is a thrilling, intelligent, and fast-paced ride with a satisfying payoff. The best part of the film is the writing for the two central characters, Traveler (Jason Bateman) and Ethan (Taron Egerton). It revolves around a remorseless terrorist named the Traveler who aims to kill a congresswoman, besides a slew of fellow flight passengers, for a major political gain. The Traveler uses an airport security officer named Ethan as an unwitting accomplice to complete his mission. Ethan must stop the terrorist from releasing a nerve agent and killing everyone on a flight, but the odds are against him big time. It is a familiar premise, reminding you of a film such as Red Eye featuring Cillian Murphy and Rachel McAdams. However, the writing and on-point casting infuse it with fresh vigour, making it a compelling viewing experience while it lasts.

Director: Jaume Collet Sera

Cast: Jason Bateman, Taron Egerton, Sofia Carson

Streamer: Netflix

The Egerton character has an arc of his own and enough layers that make him interesting. Despite failing a law enforcement test, Ethan still aspires to serve and protect. His pregnant girlfriend, Nora (Sofia Carson), encourages his ambitions, adding a layer of personal stakes to his predicament. A particularly tense scene highlights the power dynamic between Ethan and the terrorist, who forces Ethan to maintain a facade of normalcy around Nora while subtly manipulating him.

Egerton has limitations as an actor, which is evident when he fails to internalise the grief of his character following the loss of a colleague. But then again, the film also does not give any room for profundity and operates at a breakneck speed, thus mitigating the actor’s shortcomings. It goes from one nail-biting or pulsating scenario after another, and is content at operating as a surface-level thriller. To give credit where it is due, it does a great job at maintaining this metre. Egerton excels at conveying the helplessness of Ethan, a character who remains at the mercy of a cold-blooded killer for most of the runtime, and at action. The film establishes the dynamic between them solidly, with moments such as one where the security guy naively asks the Traveler whether he is a terrorist. In a film such as Carry-On, it is obvious that the hero will finally save the day. But writer TJ Fixman provides the character with enough nuance to ensure that when Ethan channels his inner Ethan Hunt, the whole thing does not become ‘mission impossible’ all of a sudden. If you suspend your disbelief, this is an enjoyable thriller through and through.

What provides it with some gravitas is Bateman, who is outstanding as the nameless Traveler with a sinister plan. Much like in the critically-acclaimed Netflix series Ozark, the actor once again shows what he can do in a negative role with just his deadpan expressions, unnerving charisma, and a sense of callousness in his voice. You believe his Traveler when he tells Ethan, “I am the guy whom you listen to.”

However, Carry-On is not a taut thriller. The film seems too much in a rush to get to the finale, like a fidgety passenger waiting at the terminal to board their flight. It seems unfair when a powerful character dies in the blink of an eye and fails to evoke any emotion. But this is just a minor quibble in a film that is entertaining and smarter than your average plane hijack thrillers. The smartest aspect of Fixman’s screenplay is how it stays uncompromising and avoids quick fixes, as well as how sensibly it portrays the security aspect of Eggerton’s character. He knows the assignment very well, as do the makers.