If Die Hard Is Your Christmas Spirit Animal, This No. 1 Netflix Flick Is a Must-See
Taron Egerton tries to save two hundred people from dying at the airport.
The director of Netflix's new hit Carry-On is Jaume Collet-Serra. You might know him from Orphan and House of Wax, the 2000s horror films starring Isabelle Fuhrman and Supernatural star Jared Padalecki.
But you're more likely to recognize Collet-Serra from The Commuter or Non-Stop, the Liam Neeson-starring action films set on a train and an airplane, respectively.
The director's new work feels more like a direct continuation of his action-packed detective stories of conspiracy and chase than an attempt to break new ground.
What Is Carry-On About?
Ethan has been working at LAX for three years without a promotion. It's not that he enjoys his job – it's just that his girlfriend, Nora, also works at the airport, and Ethan likes to have lunch with her during breaks.
The routine changes when Nora announces that she is pregnant. She hints to her boyfriend that he should try to re-enroll in the police academy, but Ethan takes the safer route – he asks for a promotion.
That same day, he is transferred from a body search to a baggage check, and then receives a Christmas gift from a stranger – a wireless earpiece. A mysterious voice says that if a black suitcase with a red ribbon appears at the checkpoint, it must be let through without question, or Nora will die.
Carry-On Is a Thrilling Ride But Only for Once
Carry-On features an epic fight in a moving car while a Christmas hit is playing, Taron Egerton running around the airport multiple times, a bomb disposal tutorial for beginners, and even humor that would be appreciated by TSA agents at the very least.
All the pieces fit together seamlessly to create a one-shot action movie that won't bore you, but you probably won't want to see it again.
Carry-On Is a Perfect Choice for Action Movie Fans This Christmas
Lyle Vincent's camera picks up the right details to give the viewer new information in wordless close-ups. The earpiece in Ethan's ear, the red ribbon on the suitcase, the sight on Nora's forehead – while the audience is trying to figure out what's going to happen next, someone has already spotted the necessary detail and is trying to use it to take control.
Carry-On is a sweet pre-Christmas flick, perfect for viewers who prefer Die Hard to Love Actually. The movie is unlikely to go down in history, but it is a pleasant company to spend time with.