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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Quality holiday films are difficult to come by, even on the Netflix streaming platform. Holiday thrillers, then, are tough to gauge due to how much of a story can be told while also balanced keeping in theme with the specified festivities. Not limited to the best of them, holiday thrillers such as Black Christmas, Die Hard, Seed of Chucky, and Paul Blart: Mall Cop represent some struggle to deliver on these certain narratives. Has this subgenre died down or has the ever-evolving state of filmmaking delayed its departure? Netflix and Dreamworks’ newest title, Carry-On, aims to test the clichés and tropes of action cinema, enlisting some of the best in the business.
Carry-On is written by T.J. Fixman and is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax remake, Orphan).
In this review, I will discuss Jaume Collet-Serra and T.J. Fixman’s Carry-On. As this article’s title suggests, no spoilers will be present.
Netflix’s Carry-On Logline
According to Netflix Media Center, here is the official synopsis for Jaume Collet-Serra and T.J. Fixman’s action mystery thriller film, Carry-On.
A young TSA agent fights to outsmart a mysterious traveler who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto a Christmas Eve flight.
Netflix Media Center
Discussion
Although cluttered and predictable at times, Carry-On‘s screenplay can be seen as impressive work given the fact that Fixman’s prior scripting credits are eight video games, mostly in the Ratchet & Clank franchise, as well as a loose film adaptation of said franchise. Like Die Hard, Collet-Serra and Fixman’s film allows the viewer to debate just how much of itself can be seen as Christmas-themed. The movie isn’t oversaturated with homages to the holiday, but it does include reminders of where characters are at time-wise. For one thing, Dreamworks’ iconic introductory logo sequence makes a reasonable case for its plot. “Love conquers all” is a small theme that earns its spotlight, not to mention the life-threatening situation at hand here.
Fixman’s script is quite the thrill, keeping viewers on edge as if watching a video game story unfold. It’s exciting to see Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton) attempt to gain the upper hand only to realize his cards are seldom in his favor. Carry-On also has its comical moments, such as “contraband bingo” and the TSA montage in the opening act. Thematically, there is a lot that Fixman could deal with but refuses to go all out, instead crafting entertainment around whatever is on the surface. The editing is a little too convenient insofar as viewers can tell where the story and its events are headed.
The movie also closes with plot holes and cliffhangers left unresolved. For example, Kopek is a Millennial who uses his phone on the job when he shouldn’t be, especially during one of the busiest times of the year. The inclusions of some plot twist characters do not overstay their welcome, and maybe they should have. The lack of three-dimensional characterization of anyone who isn’t Kopek can be troublesome as well. Close to nothing is shown about the main character and his dynamics with his partner Nora Parisi (Sofia Carson) or with his colleagues.
Music and Production
Composer Lorne Balfe’s soundtrack is some of his best work since his time on the Mission: Impossible films. In Carry-On, this fares well even in the most intense predicaments. The first reveal shared between Kopek and Los Angeles Police Department Detective Elena Cole (Danielle Deadwyler) transitions the narrative into major suspense. Whenever Traveler (Jason Bateman) and his associates threaten those close to Kopek, the music takes viewers to thrilling ends. I thoroughly enjoy the composition whenever he goes out of his way to stop Traveler or vice versa, and it helps keep viewers in their seats.
Production designer Diane Lederman and her team construct memorable set pieces, mainly in their endeavors to build their version of Los Angeles International Airport. Early in the movie, audiences see how Kopek weaves his way in and out of one room to the next. The crowded airport gate is a fun piece that takes up a lot of space. The sense of claustrophobia there is a fine parallel to that of Joel Schumacher’s Phone Booth, where confined space stirs up levels of anxiety for the protagonist.
Out of all the action sequences, a definite favorite has got to be the one that takes viewers at an incredibly fast pace. Collet-Serra and Fixman put a neat combination of creative forces to get it done—from the stunt coordination to the camera movements to the visual effects. The final product, then, is primarily a success. Next to that, there is one sequence that utilizes conveyor belts, but watching it feels like the end of Toy Story 2.
The Suspicion of Surveillance
Traveler (Jason Bateman)
Now, this is the way the world works. There’s people in control, and there’s people that listen. You listening?
Many may compare this film to Die Hard 2 given the Christmas Eve time setting. However, a greater comparison for the big first half of Carry-On would have to be Phone Booth. The movie surveys how physical motions and decisions are easily detected on camera. Access to different perspectives opens the door to endless possibilities through control. This includes blackmailing an individual with whatever personal information can be garnered. Traveler expects Kopek to play his part as a cog in the machine, and that’s frankly an enticing challenge to traverse.
If there is one thing that Phone Booth does not possess, it’s the ability to discover blind spots and exploit them to avoid detection. Egerton’s main character tends to find excuses to elude his virtual captors, putting his skills on trial. With TSA, the film toys with the human senses of sight and hearing, and there is decent attention to how people are alerted or made aware of certain presences.
The Crew Behind Carry-On
Lyle Vincent (Cooties, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, The Staircase) serves as the director of photography. Timothy A. Burton is the 2nd unit director of photography.
Sam Lothridge is the stills photographer.
Fred Raskin (Fast Five, Django Unchained, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker), Elliot Greenberg (Quarantine, Chronicle, As Above So Below, Smile, Smile 2), and Krisztian Majdik serve as the film’s editors.
Lorne Balfe (Terminator Genisys, The Florida Project, The Crown Season 2, Mission: Impossible – Fallout) scores the soundtrack.
Gabe Hilfer (Fear the Walking Dead, Venom, Birds of Prey, Ozark, Halloween Ends, The White Lotus, Renfield, White Men Can’t Jump, Invincible) serves as the music supervisor.
Alex Gibson (Scary Movie 3 & 4, Live Free or Die Hard, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Terminator Genisys, Dunkirk, Tenet) serves as the supervising music editor. James Bianco serves as the music editor.
Ethan Van der Ryn (Argo, A Quiet Place Part II, Ambulance, Cocaine Bear, Abigail), Erik Aadahl (I Robot, Argo, Terminator Genisys, A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place Part II, Ambulance, Cocaine Bear, Abigail), Dan Gamache, and Jon Greasley (The Orville, Abigail) are the sound designers. Van Der Ryn and Aadahl are also credited as the supervisor sound editors.
Darren Maynard and Xiao’ou Olivia Zhang are the sound effects editors. Jesse Rosenman (A Quiet Place Part II, Love and Monsters, Ambulance, Cocaine Bear, Abigail) and Veronica Li (A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place Part II, Love and Monsters, Ambulance, Cocaine Bear, Abigail) are the assistant sound editors.
Casting and Stunts
Chelsea Ellis Bloch (On the Count of Three, The Fallout, Sick, Blue Beetle, The Crow remake) and Marisol Roncali (The Belko Experiment, Deadpool 2, Triple Frontier, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, On the Count of Three, The Fallout, Sick, Blue Beetle, The Crow remake) are the film’s casting directors.
Anna Rocío Mendoza is the casting associate. Erika Foss DeMeza is the casting assistant.
Meagen Lewis is the New Orleans casting director. Theresa Hernandez is the New Orleans casting associate.
Joel Venti (The Girl Next Door, Cloverfield, Zombieland, Thor, Cocaine Bear, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) and Eric E. Yamamoto serve as the storyboard artists.
Dave Macomber (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, The Killer) serves as the stunt coordinator. Mike Wilson and Daniel Dargan Carter serve as fight coordinators.
Alan D’Antoni (The Vampire Diaries, Baby Driver, the Fear Street trilogy, Ms. Marvel, Cocaine Bear, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) serves as the stunt rigging coordinator.
Aesthetics
Diane Lederman (CODA, Russian Doll) serves as the production designer.
Christine Foley serves as the supervising art director.
Alanna Dempewolff-Barrett and Kristin K. Lekki are the art directors. Michelle Belfield and Adam Alonso are the assistant art directors.
Josh Smith, Alexander Klein, Jessica Stumpf, and Jake Ewonus are the set designers. Claire Sanchez is the set decorator.
Shay Cunliffe (The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Legacy, Westworld Season 3, Peacemaker) serves as the costume designer. Zoe Luella Ambler is the assistant costume designer.
Carla Brenholtz serves as the makeup department head.
Michelle Cardoza serves as the key makeup artist. Mat O’Toole serves as the makeup artist.
Margeaux Fox serves as the hair department head.
Emily Stegman serves as the key hairstylist. Terez Ordon serves as the hairstylist.
Jacenda Burkett and Nina Paskowitz are Egerton’s makeup artist and hairstylist, respectively.
In the 2nd unit, Amy Weinberg serves as the makeup artist and Donita Sather serves as the hairstylist.
Brad Parker (Fight Club, Let Me In, Loki Season 1, The Last Voyage of the Demeter) is the visual effects supervisor. Dan Akers is the additional VFX supervisor.
Tolly Swallow, Ruth Irvine-Hauer (War for the Planet of the Apes, Aaron Guzikowski’s Raised by Wolves), and Georgina Street (X-Men: Apocalypse, The Fate of the Furious, Avengers: Endgame, Birds of Prey) serve as VFX producers.
The Cast of Carry-On
Taron Egerton (the Kingsman film franchise, Rocketman, Black Bird, Tetris) portrays Ethan Kopek, the film’s protagonist and a TSA agent.
Sofia Carson portrays Nora Parisi, Kopek’s girlfriend and an operations manager at Northwind Airport.
Danielle Deadwyler (HBO’s Watchmen, The Harder They Fall, Station Eleven, I Saw the TV Glow, The Piano Lesson) portrays Elena Cole, a Los Angeles Police Department detective.
Jason Bateman (Teen Wolf Too, Arrested Development, Hancock, The Gift, Game Night, Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams’ Ozark) portrays Traveler.
Theo Rossi (Cloverfield, Cheo Hodari Coker’s Luke Cage, Army of the Dead, Emily the Criminal, Lauren LeFranc’s The Penguin) plays Watcher.
Logan Marshall-Green (Prometheus, The Invitation, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade) plays Agent Alcott.
Dean Norris (Breaking Bad) plays Phil Sarkowski, the lead officer of TSA.
Sinqua Walls (Friday Night Lights, MTV’s Teen Wolf, Power, Nanny, The Blackening, White Men Can’t Jump remake) plays Jason Noble, Kopek’s close friend and a fellow TSA agent.
Gil Perez-Abraham (The Batman) plays Eddie, a TSA agent.
Tonatiuh (Vida) plays Mateo Flores.
Curtiss Cook plays Lionel Williams, a TSA law enforcement officer. Joe Williamson plays Ronald “Ron” Dunn, a TSA agent and former military soldier.
Josh Brener (The Belko Experiment, HBO’s Silicon Valley, Love Death & Robots, Saturday Night) plays Herschel.
Minor Characters
Adam Stephenson plays Jesse, Flores’s husband.
Michael Scott appears as Samir, a TSA agent.
Jeff Pope and Raymon Rehage appear as Olek Vedenyapin and his nephew Yuri Balakin, respectively.
Nico Bucher appears as a “blue-haired passenger”.
Jill Flint appears as Congresswoman Grace Suarez Turner.
Performances and Character Developments
Egerton exhibits his expertise in genre performance, from the acting to the action. He embodies the mindset of Kevin James’s Paul Blart, the motives of Colin Farrell’s Stu Shepard (or arguably Lil Rel Howery’s Rod Williams), and of course, the muscular build of Bruce Willis’s John McClane. The actor trades in his English accent for an American voice. He appears to be very selective about which roles he takes on when our frames of reference thus far are the Kingsman films, Rocketman, and more recently, Tetris. Kopek’s inner conflict is a bit too similar to the first Paul Blart movie, yet his dynamic with Traveler is uncannily reminiscent of Schumacher’s film. This protagonist is often bright, but compared with Egerton’s other roles, he isn’t the wisest human being around.
Bateman’s role is mysterious, and even by Carry-On‘s conclusion, little is still known about who he is and where he comes from. Despite what he claims in Netflix’s official press notes, the actor surely makes for a believable antagonist. His physical actions alone corroborate this notion but his voice solidifies him as a near-perfect villain. Bateman has all the great lines of deadpan dialogue, whereas Egerton delivers via pathos. What’s not to love about that?
Final Thoughts on Carry-On
Despite its at-times overwhelming screenplay resulting in a prolonged runtime, Collet-Serra and Fixman’s crime thriller is packed with enough action and mystery to satisfy audiences for the festive season. There seems to be room for a secondary character to take on the hero role for Egerton’s Kopek. However, doing so would only mean eventually falling into the same patterns as the Die Hard series. As a one-off movie, Netflix and Dreamworks have a good title on their hands. The line “One bag for one life” rings true, although it isn’t all that heavy once it reaches the end.
4/5 stars
Carry-On streams via Netflix starting tonight, Friday, December 13th!
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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
