WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Carry-On!Following the success of Netflix’s new flight-based thrillerCarry-On, an underrated movie in the same genre starring Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy from 2005 provides a captivating next watch. Rounding out Netflix’s string of holiday releases in 2024,Carry-Onarrived on the streamer on December 13 as a massive hit, even drawing comparisons to Die Hard with its critical acclaim and thrilling moments. WithCarry-On’s castbeing led by Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman,the film follows a TSA agent who is blackmailed by a traveler into letting a bomb enter a flight on Christmas Eve.
Carry-Onstands out as one of Netflix’s strongest releases in 2024, with its success bearing similarities to the impressive achievements and popularity of the streamer’s November 2023 thrillerLeave the World Behind. Though the narrative ofCarry-Onisn’t without its plot holes, contrivances, or familiar, formulaic twists, the movie still presents an entertaining new thriller with compelling cast performances.The story and success of the movie also call to mind the plot of the 2005 thrillerRed Eye, which received similar acclaim and is led by major stars, but is withoutCarry-On’s holiday backdrop.
Red Eye Is Another Captivating Aviation Thriller With A Similar Story Setup To Carry-On
Red Eye Also Involves Blackmail & An Assassination Plot On An Airplane
When climbing the streaming charts to become the top-trending movie on Netflix,Carry-Onbegan to receive an increase in comparisons toRed Eye. Directed by horror master Wes Craven, the 2005 thriller stars Rachel McAdams as a traveler taking a red-eye flight from Dallas to Miami when she finds herself sitting next to a man (Cillian Murphy) whom she briefly met at the airport bar. All of a sudden, the tides turn whenthe man tells her he’s working with a terrorist organization and begins to blackmail her into aiding his assassination plan.
Red Eye Movie Ending Explained: Does Lisa’s Dad Survive?
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Within the stories ofCarry-OnandRed Eye,Egerton’s Ethan Kopek and McAdams’ Lisa Reisert serve similar roles as they’re ordered to aid the criminal’s plans, with Jason Bateman’s “Traveler” serving the same blackmailer terrorist role as Cillian Murphy’s Jackson Rippner. Like with the Traveler threatening Ethan with the murder of his girlfriend, Nora, if he doesn’t comply,Red Eye’s villain threatens Lisa with the murder of her father until the assassination is completed. Additionally, in both thriller movies, the target of the terrorist plot is a politician.
Carry-Onhas frequently been described as a cross betweenRed Eye(2005) andPhone Booth(2002).
It’s difficult to believe thatRed Eyedidn’t have some influence on the plot and tone ofCarry-On, especially given the 2005 film’s critical and commercial success. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two, of course, is thatCarry-On’s blackmail and terrorist plot largely occurs in the TSA section of the airport itself, whileRed Eye’s anxiety-inducing narrative occurs while McAdams and Murphy are already onboard the plane. However,Carry-On’s endingdoes briefly bring the action to the airplane, whileRed-Eye’s final act brings the hero and villain back on the ground – with, ultimately, very similar outcomes for both narratives.
Carry-On & Red Eye Both Have Impressive Reviews
Both Thrillers Received Mostly Positive Reviews From Critics
Carry-Oncontinues an optimistic trend forNetflix’s action movies, following up on genre films likeExtraction 2andRebel Ridgewith positive reviews from critics. In addition to maintaining its status as Netflix’s top-trending movie in the weeks after its release,Carry-Onboasts impressive reviews from critics as it holds a “Certified Fresh” 87% scoreonRotten Tomatoes. However, the movie has proved more divisive with audiences, holding a mixed 53% rating on the site’s “Popcornmeter.” Still, the warm reception forCarry-Onfrom critics and its enduring viewership popularity gave Netflix a resounding hit to close out the year.
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Carry-On’s positive reception even beats that ofRed Eye, which became a commercial and critical success upon its release in 2005. Currently,Red Eyeholds an 80% score from criticsand a 64% rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. TheWes Craven thriller movieultimately earned $96.3 million at the box office against an estimated $26 million budget (viaBox Office Mojo), makingRed Eyea moderate commercial success. Though it’s difficult to accurately compare box office earnings with streaming viewership numbers, both releases proved to be triumphs for their cast and crew.
Red Eye & Carry-On Prove How Underrated Cillian Murphy & Jason Bateman Are As Villains
Murphy & Bateman Don’t Typically Play Pure Villains In Their Movies & Shows
Among the many similarities betweenRed EyeandCarry-Onis the films’ genius casting choices for their main villains. At the time thatRed Eyewas released in 2005, Cillian Murphy was still rising in Hollywood after portraying Jim in28 Days Later, Pieter inGirl with a Pearl Earring, and Dr. Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan’sBatman Begins. The latter was the first major instance of Murphy shining as a villainous character, withRed Eyetaking these skills to the next level by putting the actor in the lead male role.
SinceRed Eye, Murphy has become more notorious for his heroic or anti-hero roles, such as in his portrayals of Tommy Shelby inPeaky Blinders, Emmett inA Quiet Place Part II, and J. Robert Oppenheimer inOppenheimer. Therefore, seeing him as a pure villain inRed Eyeprovides a great reminder of Murphy’s versatile acting range and how much his career has flourished through increasingly complex roles over the past two decades. WithMurphy reprising his roles in28 Years Laterand the upcomingPeaky Blindersmovie, it doesn’t seem like aRed Eye-like villain part will arrive anytime soon.
Carry-On: The Villains’ Plan, Members & What They Actually Wanted Explained
The criminal conspiracy in Netflix’s Carry-On is absolutely massive, and here is who was involved, what their plan was, and what happened to everyone.
Similarly, Jason Bateman isn’t well-known for playing the villain. Rather,Bateman rose to prominence for his comedy roles, which often see him playing the “straight man” herowith a sarcastic wit. On a few notable occasions, Bateman has departed from this type of character through dramatic projects likeOzark, which paints him as an anti-hero as he launders money for a drug cartel and gets his family involved in the local criminal schemes.
Given the success ofCarry-On, the hope is that Bateman will continue taking similar unexpected yet engrossing roles in the future.
BeforeCarry-On,Bateman’s biggest villain role was in the 2015 horror movieThe Gift, which saw him play a man with a violent past and a menacing layer that he often keeps hidden below the surface.BothCarry-OnandThe Giftare among Bateman’s most impressive performances in recent years, and go to show how compelling he can be in roles where he plays against type and uses his own likable reputation to add nuance to his villainous characters. Given the success ofCarry-On, the hope is that Bateman will continue taking similar unexpected yet engrossing roles in the future.
Carry-On
Cast
Carry On is a film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, focusing on a young TSA agent who is coerced by a mysterious traveler into allowing a dangerous package onto a Christmas Eve flight. As events unfold, he must use his wits to resolve the perilous situation.
Red Eye
Red Eye (2005) is a suspense thriller directed by Wes Craven, featuring Rachel McAdams as Lisa Reisert, a hotel manager who becomes entangled in a plot orchestrated by Jackson Rippner, played by Cillian Murphy. The film’s tension builds during a red-eye flight, where Lisa must thwart a scheme that threatens not only her life but also the lives of others.
