To many, it may be surprising to hear that the breakout hit movie of the last holiday season would be an action thriller focusing on a terrorist extorting a TSA agent to unleash a chemical agent on an airplane. While action movie classics like “Lethal Weapon” and “Die Hard” used Christmas as a backdrop in the past, those days have long since faded away, especially since action movies now seem more interested in following the exploits of seemingly-superhuman hitmen, such as “John Wick.” These days, audiences seem more interested in protagonists who are never in any real danger and are simply always in control.
“Carry-On,” heralded as a modern masterpiece by nearly everyone I know, paints a stark contrast to the action-flick zeitgeist of today; rather than an overreliance on highly choreographed fight scenes focusing on an endless number of underworld assassins facing off against a one-man-army, “Carry-On” remains impressively restrained in its scope. Taron Egerton stars as low-level TSA agent Ethan Kopek, who seems to be begrudgingly content with his repetitive life. However, when he ends up in the sights of a mysterious mercenary for hire (Jason Bateman), Ethan is forced to choose between following the terrorist’s demands, who commands him through an earpiece, or doing the right thing, which might result in the death of his pregnant girlfriend (Sofia Carson).
For the first half, which is rooted at Ethan’s post at a baggage-checking lane, “Carry-On” thrives. The film perfectly sells the loss of control Ethan suffers as he finds himself at the mercy of a taunting voice in his ear, making a theme of powerlessness resonate throughout the film. For once, it feels like there is no guarantee that the hero will actually survive. Perhaps the best example of this in the film is with the murder of Ethan’s coworker Lionel, which the Traveller commits in the middle of a crowd, yet not so much as a head is turned in his direction. In that moment, it feels as though the villains are not just omnipotent, but completely invisible to any outside help.
Where the movie struggles, however, is in how it handles the more mobile second half. As Bateman’s character grows from a faceless voice to an active threat that roams the airport hunting for Ethan, the movie loses its mystique. The car fight scene, where the film indulges itself in modern action movie tropes, is the point at which the movie jumps the shark and Ethan, who is initially emphasized as being a persistent underachiever, miraculously gains seemingly impossibly good luck as the movie nears its conclusion.
While it is far from a modern day action masterpiece, “Carry-On” is a solid weekend watch. Watching the psyche of an average man crack under pressure, against the threat of an international terrorist plot, makes it an absolute thrill to watch. Though it may not warrant the over-the-top hype it has received, it is a decent, if unnoteworthy flick.
