Carry-On (2024), directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, stars Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi, Tonatiuh, Logan Marshall-Green, Dean Norris, Sinqua Walls, Curtiss Cook, Joe Williamson, Gil Perez-Abraham, Josh Brener, and Benito Martinez. The film follows Ethan Kopek (Egerton), a low-level TSA agent who on Christmas Eve is blackmailed into allowing a dangerous package through security by a mysterious criminal only known as “Traveler” (Bateman). With his pregnant girlfriend’s (Carson) life in the balance, Ethan attempts to toe the line between following the traveler’s orders and thwarting his plans. Meanwhile, Elena Cole (Deadwyler), a by-the-book FBI agent suspects something sinister is at play and sets out to crack the case.

The film is essentially a shameless (and somewhat lesser) clone of Die Hard 2 (1990) – and by extension Die Hard (1988), but it’s thankfully elevated, among other things, by its strong ensemble cast. Egerton proves himself to once again be a relatable and likable lead. After the first Kingsman film, he seemed to be on the path to becoming a regular leading man. Unfortunately, after the Kingsman sequels underperformed at the box office, I’ve seen him less than I would have preferred (excluding his wonderful turn as Elton John). He’s proven himself in the past as a capable action hero, but what’s so great about this performance is that he feels completely authentic as this kind of flawed everyman. I actually believe this guy would suffer from a lack of confidence/crippling anxiety/etc. The thing is, our preconceptions about Egerton as an actor likewise make him easy to believe when eventually becomes the action hero the script requires. Yes, it’s a little odd to believe this guy could save the day on his own, but it’s the premise you need to accept going into it. The over-the-top nature of the premise is the entire appeal.   

Bateman surprised me as the film’s high-intelligence villain who succeeds in being creepy and intimidating without resorting to overly emotional outbursts. He’s low-key and proves his evil through his cold willingness to commit any violence necessary to complete his task. It’s nice too that the script finds believable ways for his and Egerton’s characters to interact face-to-face. Given the nature of the story, I wouldn’t have knocked the script if these two never met until the climax. Instead, this results in a much more personal connection between hero and villain that improves the overall tension. 

The remaining members of the cast likewise give strong performances. These include Danielle Deadwyler as the had-ass FBI agent, Theo Rossi as the Traveler’s tech geek accomplice, Dean Norris as Ethan’s TSA supervisor, and Logan Marshall-Green as a crooked cop. The film features a lot of characters, but they get the proper amount of focus in proportion to their impotence in the plot. It’s a tight script in terms of characters big and small.  They’re not particularly complex or original, but they’re good. Sometimes that’s enough. 

As I mentioned earlier, the film’s most glaring flaw is that it’s far too similar to Die Hard & Die Hard 2. That being said, you can pick much worse films than Die Hard to emulate for a Holiday-themed streaming release. It’s well-paced, the action is creative, and the performances/characters are a blast to follow. I’m sure those who have worked in TSA will find plenty of flaws in the film’s logic, but for a normie like me, everything feels believable/logical. 

Overall, this is an action film that is nothing new in terms of how it all plays out but it’s an endlessly fun ride nonetheless. In other words, the only thing it lacks is a feeling of true originality. It’s no Die Hard, but it should fill that hole as well as anything that’s not the real thing can. It’s fast, fun, and leans into the holiday season – what more could a person ask for from a December Netflix release? B