After the DCEU film Black Adam, director Jaume Collet Serra is back to his roots, this time with this Netflix film 'Carry On', a slick action thriller starring Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman and Danielle Deadwyler in the lead roles.
Basic Plot- A young TSA officer, Ethan Kopek (Egerton), is blackmailed on an earbud by a mysterious traveler and is forced to let a specific bag pass through, or his girlfriend Nora (Sofia Carson) will be killed.
Positives
Direction and Screenplay
Director Jaume Serra is known for his incorporation of the thrill factor in films like Unknown, Non Stop, Run all Night and The Commuter, and Carry On has not been an exception. The film is engaging right from the start and has the appropriate thrills which you would expect when the protagonist falls into a national level security threat, that's unknown to anyone in the airport except him. The claustrophobic state of mind of the protagonist (Egerton) and the crowded 'ready to go home' airport environment makes up for a nice contrast which is quite enjoyable. The screenplay level bits and pieces where the main character tries to ask for help are smartly designed. The narrative tensions work very well which gives you the constant somber yet thrilling experience (with respite scenes placed at perfect intervals). What makes this film dynamic is the dark and subtle humor, that is simply brilliant. The director has made sure that the conversation between Ethan and the traveler do not become boring and cliched hero-villain word exchange, instead, be more upbeat and realistic. The conversations contain tension in the beginning, which goes on to dilute after a while and then the conversation includes banters, personal details exchange, heated exchange, action and even dating advice! My God, the director has managed to present the overall moral conflict in some fashion!
Performances and Technicalities
The performances have been commendable in true sense where Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman really steal the show. Their performances really generate the sense of purpose and emotional depth that's necessary in this type of a wackily suave thriller with a dubious core plot. Egerton shines in thrilling portions and vehemently justifies his character. Bateman as the traveler does fantastic as well by diving deep into the skin of the character, so much so, that you really feel this character to die a dog's death. The overall impact of the performances on this film is strikingly solid and splendid. The overall technicalities have been good as well. Color grading, cgi work and editing have been good. There's this one single take fight sequence inside a car, (which although relies heavily on the cgi effects) that's outlandish and weirdly entertaining to be honest. The fact that you don't really see the scene coming, gives you more bang for the buck!
Underwhelming Aspects
There's nothing much to complain about the film except for the fact that the core plot (that gets revealed in the climax) isn't very convincing. Films like these seem to face this particular problem for years now. Collet Serra's own film 'Unknown' starring Liam Neeson also had a similar nature of unconvincing core plot that was revealed in the climax. Even the 2024 film 'Ulajh' starring Janhvi Kapoor in the lead role suffered from the same problem. Then again, this film is definitely better than 'Unknown' and 'Ulajh' doesn't even come into comparison. Also, the politically dubious core plot doesn't let the fun die down even for a minute, and that adds on to the film credit.
Conclusion
'Carry On' is a tasteful treat for ardent thriller film fans that manages to overshadow most of it's flaws effortlessly. Apart from the smart screenplay infused with dark humor and strong performances, the director has ensured unpredictable twists and turns that always keeps the film ahead of the viewers, which keeps the film taut and engaging throughout it's runtime. The overall suspense and the entire edge of the seat nature of the film makes this film too good to miss. In fact, handful of some hand to hand combats (especially the one in the climax) are well thought and choreographed. Several emotional aspects and their solutions towards the end gives the film a sense of completeness as well. With all said and done, director Collet Serra has been able to provide the exact thrill in this film, that he's also showcased in the Liam Neeson starrers. While we long for more such slick and polished thrillers from Jaume Collet Serra, all we can say to encourage the director is 'Carry On'.
Watch Out For
The terrific climax and the final act.
WTF Recommendation
8/10