I have a confession to make: I love dumb action movies set during the holidays. They don’t need to be good or deep, but something about using the holidays as a backdrop for pointless violence and action just works for me. So, when I saw Netflix had a new movie called Carry On coming to the platform, set in an airport during the holidays, I was in. Director Jaume Collet-Serra, known for his transportation-themed thrillers, brings his signature style to this high-stakes game of cat and mouse. The result is an entertaining—if somewhat predictable—addition to the Christmas action genre. And trust me, this movie goes places.
Now that I’ve set the stage, imagine this film starts with the assassination of Russian mobsters in a greenhouse—and only gets more outrageous from there. This is the setup for Carry On, and even before we properly meet any characters, there is already a body count. When the film finally catches up with the protagonist, we get a quick glimpse into his life. However, Carry On plays its cards close to the chest, offering only a taste of his story—and even that is just half the picture.
The film follows Ethan, a TSA agent portrayed by Taron Egerton (Tetris, The Kingsman), who finds himself in an impossible situation on the busiest travel day of the year. When a mysterious traveller (Jason Bateman) blackmails him into smuggling a dangerous package onto a Christmas Eve flight, Ethan must navigate a complex web of moral choices while protecting both his pregnant girlfriend (Sofia Carson) and unsuspecting passengers. This chain of events begins when Ethan, eager to prove he’s capable of more, pushes for additional responsibilities—leading to everything inevitably spiralling downhill from there.
You see, somehow a group of trained killers has set up a needlessly convoluted plot, and getting an illicit item through airport security is a vital part of their plan. Yes, there are plenty of reasons why this is not a good idea, but don’t worry—the film explains why you, the viewer, are wrong. According to the movie, smuggling something through security is actually a brilliant move, and Jason Bateman’s character is, in fact, an evil mastermind. Oh, and yes, I almost forgot—Jason Bateman is the main villain of this thriller. Despite my tone, I actually think it works, thanks to the cast, even if the premise is incredibly silly.
Taron Egerton continues to prove his versatility as an actor, bringing depth to what could have been a one-dimensional character. Despite the challenges Ethan faces and the frequent mistakes he makes, he remains incredibly easy to root for. Egerton delivers a surprisingly complex performance, adding more nuance than is written on the page—but it works.
Jason Bateman’s role as the film’s antagonist marks a refreshing departure from his usual comedic fare. His calculated menace provides the perfect foil to Egerton’s everyman hero, creating a dynamic that keeps viewers guessing about his true motives. Bateman is both relatable and terrifying, with his banter throughout much of the film adding a mix of unease and levity that makes Carry On compelling and hard to turn off.
While the premise is engaging and the characters are well-drawn, the story occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambition, allowing its inherent absurdity to show. The script, written by Michael Green and T.J. Fixman, starts strong but veers into increasingly improbable territory as it progresses. The opening act, while implausible, manages to work. However, as the story transitions into its second and third acts, all sense of logic—or the public’s understanding of how airports function—seems to go out the window. That said, the film’s brisk pacing and committed performances help to smooth over these narrative bumps.
Now, don’t get me wrong—Carry On is not a total failure, nor is it as bad as I might be making it sound. However, it is undeniably bananas and tries to do far more than is necessary or logical. The cast manages to make even the most outrageous moments work, and I found myself wanting to know what would happen next, despite my reservations. The action is shot well enough that, even while watching people fight with suitcases or banter about evil corporations, it remains compelling and makes you root for Ethan to come out on top.
Carry On may not reinvent the wheel—or even be a car with the correct number of those mysterious round objects—but it spins with enough skill to keep audiences engaged. While it occasionally stretches credibility, the film succeeds as a holiday thriller, offering a refreshing alternative to traditional seasonal fare. Jaume Collet-Serra’s direction, combined with strong performances from Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman, elevates what could have been an uninspired, by-the-numbers thriller into something much more memorable.
