Every now and then you throw something on expecting background noise… and end up actually sitting there and watching the whole thing. That was Carry-On (2024) for us.
The wife and I fired this up on Netflix one night, not really knowing much about it, and honestly just hoping for something halfway decent. What we got was one of those rare movies where we both looked at each other halfway through and realized… yeah, we’re actually into this.
And that doesn’t happen all that often.
Funny enough, I’m writing this now while there’s been a lot of talk in the news about TSA, airport security, and everything that comes with flying these days—which makes this one hit a little differently. The setup feels just close enough to reality to make it uncomfortable in a good way.
The setup is simple—TSA agent gets wrapped up in something way bigger than he signed up for—but it works because the movie doesn’t try to get cute with it. It just keeps things moving. No wasted time, no dragging scenes… just a straight-up, tense ride through an airport on one of the busiest days of the year.
Taron Egerton does exactly what you need him to do here. He’s believable as the guy in over his head, trying to hold things together.
But the real story? Jason Bateman.
Bateman as the bad guy is awesome. He’s calm, calculated, and never really raises his voice—which somehow makes him even more intimidating. It’s not over-the-top villain stuff… it’s just controlled and uncomfortable in the best way. He steals every scene he’s in.
The biggest surprise for me was just how easy this was to watch. No phone checking, no zoning out… just locked in the whole time. It’s the kind of movie that knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to be anything else.
Now, the ending… yeah, it doesn’t quite land. It’s not bad, just a little underwhelming compared to how strong everything leading up to it is.
But honestly, by that point it didn’t really matter.
I’d already enjoyed the ride way more than I expected to.
Carry-On (2024) – Final Thoughts
This was a legit surprise—and even more so because it’s one of those rare “we both liked it” movies at home.
It’s not perfect, but it’s fun, tense, and absolutely worth your time.
Definitely a recommend.
