movie review - Carry-On
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
This is a Netflix thriller about a TSA agent in the US who is coerced into helping some terrorists get a bomb aboard a commercial flight. It does a number of things quite well, including some innovations such as showing what's on a smartphone screen by laying out a hugely magnified version of the screen to one side of the screen. It weaves in different characters, none of whom really turn out to be one-dimensional plot vehicles as happens frequently with thrillers. It does a plausible job of painting the world of the TSA at the front-lines of dealing with the public. Something I've seen first hand on a number of occasions; I know I couldn't do the job. It keeps up the pace, it makes some clever feints, and it puts in some efforts to make the high-tension plot happen despite the presence of smart phones and other instant sources of perfect information that could otherwise ruin everything.
But: I just couldn't suspend enough disbelief. Two characters, working separately, just overcome too many insane scenes and pull too many rabbits out of hats. They are given too much leeway in an era where paranoia is the law. So, while I applaud what they were trying to do with this (seriously, the handling of the communications issues is quite good) I don't feel they pulled it off. I mean, I'd hate to think what a real TSA agent has to put up with just getting through doing their job given all the regulations.
Not recommended.