The thrilling, suspenseful thriller Carry-On (2024) blends the joyous mayhem of the holidays with the anxiety of a high-stakes heist. The film, which was directed by the well-known Jean-Luc Moreau, brings us into the center of an international airport just hours before a significant flight on Christmas Eve takes off. What follows is a game of cat and mouse between a seasoned airport security guard and an enigmatic tourist who puts him in a morally difficult situation that could have disastrous repercussions.
The film begins with a typical holiday rush at a busy international airport, with last-minute shopping scurrying for gifts, family reconnecting, and individuals hurrying to catch flights. James McAvoy’s character Ethan Blake, a seasoned TSA officer whose responsibility it is to make sure no hazardous materials pass past security, is one of them. Blake is a father of two, precise, and composed under pressure. He is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to spend Christmas with his own family.
Blake’s life, however, is completely upended when a mysterious and unsettling traveler, Marcus Cole (played by Cillian Murphy), goes through the security checkpoint. Cole, who carries a basic carry-on bag and seems like just another businessman, has a much darker agenda. Cole uses a number of deceptive strategies, such as taking advantage of Blake’s vulnerabilities, to coerce him into a risky game of cat and mouse in which Blake must decide between his obligation to safeguard the passengers and his desire to return home for Christmas.
Blake starts to understand that Cole might not be operating alone and that the stakes are far higher than he first believed as the pressure increases and the flight’s departure time draws closer. What begins as a standard security check devolves into a stressful, uncertain race against time to avoid a catastrophe while attempting to outsmart a mysterious enemy.
The film’s ability to sustain a constant sense of tension throughout is one of its strongest points. The anticipation is increased by the airport’s cramped environment, which includes crowded terminals and impersonal, antiseptic security checkpoints. With its fast-paced editing, lingering views, and cramped close-ups, Moreau’s direction expertly places you in Blake’s position, torn between his sense of professional morality and the peril that could threaten him.
As the troubled airport security guard, McAvoy gives a compelling portrayal that captures Blake’s moral quandary with unadulterated passion. He portrays a man who is used to being in charge but who is rapidly being influenced by an unknown somebody whose intentions are unknown. The enigmatic and cunning Cole, played by Cillian Murphy, is the ideal counterpoint to McAvoy’s persona. Cole has an eerie presence due to his cool, collected voice, which makes you wonder if he’s just a criminal mastermind or something darker.
Carry-On is mostly a thriller, but the holiday setting gives the narrative a fascinating depth. Christmas Eve, which is usually a time for happiness and family, turns into a setting for growing conflict and peril. The theme that nothing is as it seems and that danger might be lurking in the most unexpected places is reinforced by the striking contrast between the festive enthusiasm in the airport and the developing sense of worry.
The idea that all of this is taking place around the holidays, when people are meant to feel safe, protected, and with their loved ones, is especially unsettling. The stakes are raised and the emotional strain is maintained throughout the movie by contrasting the cheerful decorations, jingles, and crowded throng with the dark overtones of Blake and Cole’s encounters.
The direction by Jean-Luc Moreau is simply brilliant. Carry-On moves at an unrelenting pace, and you never feel as though the tension has been released. Every exchange between Blake and Cole is tinged with mistrust, every quiet moment lingers, and every look or change in body language is laden with significance.
Additionally, Moreau masterfully employs the airport’s design, transforming the terminals and security checkpoints into a maze where Blake is continuously searching for the truth while attempting to evade more manipulation. Veteran DP Michaël Dumont’s film’s cinematography is sharp, with stark lighting that emphasizes the protagonists’ loneliness in a busy public area and creates long shadows. The final act is a thrilling, suspenseful conclusion that will have you gasping for air as the tension reaches a boiling pitch.
A unique kind of holiday thriller, The Final Verdict: A Christmas Thriller That Delivers Carry-On (2024) deftly blends festive motifs with high levels of psychological anxiety. It transforms airport security, an apparently uninteresting environment, into a stressful, high-stakes game of survival. Outstanding performances are given by James McAvoy and Cillian Murphy, and Jean-Luc Moreau’s directing keeps the audience on edge throughout.
Carry-On is a must-see for everyone searching for a unique holiday film that blends the coziness of the season with the chills of suspense. It’s a clever, stylish, and ultimately fulfilling thriller that challenges your preconceived notions about air travel safety and the real price of doing the right thing.
