A mysterious traveler blackmails a young TSA agent into letting a dangerous package slip through security and onto a Christmas Day flight.
Listen, if you’re anything like me, the very mention of “Christmas action movie” gets you unreasonably giddy. We’re talking Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, First Blood and even Gremlins (don’t fight me on this one). So when I heard about Netflix’s latest yuletide adrenaline fest Carry On, featuring Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, and Sofia Carson, I had one thought: “Alright, let’s see if this holiday package delivers.” Spoiler: it mostly does, but not without some turbulence.
The Setup
The plot is classic holiday mayhem with a modern twist. Egerton plays a young TSA agent with a knack for spotting trouble—or so we’re told. Enter Jason Bateman as a mysterious, smooth-talking traveler who blackmails our guy into letting a sketchy package bypass security and board a Christmas Day flight. Sofia Carson rounds out the cast as the determined detective trying to untangle this yuletide mess before things go kaboom. It’s Die Hard 2 meets The Terminal with a sprig of Home Alone chaos for good measure.
What I Loved
First off, let’s talk Christmas action movies. Is there a better genre? The twinkle of holiday lights juxtaposed with explosions and gunfire just hits different. Carry On leans into this aesthetic with gusto. Snow-covered runways, tacky airport decorations, and a soundtrack that alternates between sleigh bells and ominous strings—it’s a vibe.
The cast is another win. Egerton brings his usual charm, even if he’s playing an everyman rather than a Kingsman. Jason Bateman, though? Absolute chef’s kiss as the bad guy. He’s got that “I could charm your grandma while stealing her purse” energy down pat. His snarky one-liners alone are worth the price of admission. And let’s not overlook the conveyor belt fight scenes, which are giving Die Hard 2 realness. Watching people battle it out among suitcases and holiday hams? Cinema.
What I Didn’t Love
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper review without some complaints. Let’s start with the elephant in the room: the “woke agenda.” Yes, the lead detective is a woman, as is required by law in Hollywood circa 2024. While Sofia Carson does her best with the role, you can practically hear the studio execs ticking boxes. Subtlety? Never heard of her.
Then there’s the TSA tech. Look, I’ve flown out of Newark enough times to know that the TSA’s most advanced weapon is passive aggression. The gadgets in this movie make Tony Stark look like a bargain bin tinkerer. But hey, it’s a Christmas action movie, not a documentary, so I’ll allow it.
And the ending… oof. Without giving too much away, let’s just say it feels like the writers had a plane to catch. Abrupt doesn’t even begin to cover it. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a text that says, “Sorry, gotta go!”
The Bottom Line
Despite its flaws, Carry On is a fun, fast-paced addition to the Christmas action canon. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s got enough charm, humor, and holiday spirit to make it worth your time. Plus, Jason Bateman as a bad guy? Yes, please.
Final ranking: 7.0/10
#CarryOnMovie #ChristmasAction #TaronEgerton #JasonBateman #SofiaCarson #NetflixMovies #ActionPacked #HolidayThriller #MovieReview #WhatIsDanWatching
Comments