Carry-On (2024) Dir: Jaume Collet-Serra
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I didn't know Jaume Collet-Serra's TSA-based Christmas thriller was going to be coming out until it appeared on Netflix in the run-up to Christmas. In truth, I probably would not have bothered with it, if not for some fairly positive reviews, which ultimately tempted me. I was hoping for an exciting thriller, though I still kept my expectations level.
There was some very dodgy CGI for the car scene, although the concept for the scene itself was pretty cool - the song choice was a nice touch as well. There wasn't a tonne of action in the film, I thought that the little that it did have was quite good, especially the conveyor belt sequence. I actually wouldn't have complained about more of this kind of action - it was fun to watch.
I couldn't help but feel that the film would have been better if it was thirty minutes shorter. There were elements of the film that felt repetitive, and the middle portion of the film was quite simply boring. In addition, the plot was annoyingly predictable, which definitely didn't help my boredom. There wasn't a single plot development that surprised me, and much of it was incredibly unsubtle - especially because it was so clearly a 'copaganda' film.
Taron Egerton was a positive presence on-screen, in this starring role. He is quite a talented actor, but this was a fairly simple role, one which he did at least dispatch well. There were a couple of scenes where his emotional capabilities were on display, but not nearly enough for this to be an exceptional performance.
Jason Bateman did surprisingly well in the villain role - it's not exactly his normal shtick. I won't say he blew me away, but he still did better than I suspected he might, when I saw it was him. He didn't really have to do much in the way of 'big' acting, but everything he did do was done with a confidence that helped his character feel like more of a threat.
Of the supporting cast, the most noteworthy performances were provided by the two women in the film; Sofia Carson and Danielle Deadwyler. Neither featured as much as they could've, and perhaps should've, but both provided solid enough acting when required. In terms of the rest of the cast, Theo Rossi, Dean Norris, Logan Marshall-Green, Sinqua Walls, and Tonatiuh deserved at least a mention.
Overall, this was fine, but definitely had its issues. It was too long, too predictable, and not nearly subtle enough with some of its messaging. It honestly felt like a mediocre 'Die Hard' imitation, more than anything else. Either way, it's fine for one of those easy night's in, especially for a more casual audience.
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