Hijack - Review

All seven episodes of Hijack are streaming on Apple TV+. Some spoilers may follow.

Apple TV+’s gloriously silly summer thriller Hijack doesn’t reveal the motive behind the taking of Flight KA29 until more than halfway through the limited series, and it’s a big gamble leaving the passengers (and viewers) in the dark for this long. As with the majority of the seven episodes, it’s a choice that’s equally bewildering and beguiling. Hijack maintains edge-of-your-seat suspense with some outlandish twists and turns; what stops it from straying too far into ridiculous territory is Idris Elba in the lead role as corporate negotiator Sam, whose job ensures he stays calm in this life-or-death scenario. Elba’s no-nonsense and charismatic performance is a grounding force when the plotting hits some turbulence-sized jolts and previously intelligent characters – especially those in law enforcement – disengage their brains.

The series from Lupin creator George Kay (and Jim Field Smith) takes a real-time approach that makes it impossible not to conjure images of Kiefer Sutherland racing to save the day on 24. In this case, there is no literal ticking clock giving regular updates, and instead, the format is predicated on the seven-hour flight time from Dubai to London. This brings an urgency to Hijack, yet it never feels like what we are watching on the ground is taking place minute-by-minute. Splitting focus between the fraught situation on the plane and the various negotiations and investigations assessing the hijacking does break up the story, but it is on the claustrophobic commercial jet that the material soars.

The summer TV season is a time for indulging in attention-grabbing and hi-octane thrills. Hijack delivers entertaining escapism from the moment Sam steps onto the Kingdom Airlines flight with his small single item to put in the overhead storage locker. Unlike the passengers in economy class struggling to fit their luggage in their allocated area, Sam is at ease when he arrives late and with an expensive trinket from Gucci as his only carry-on. Yep, he doesn’t even have a laptop bag or backpack. His lack of personal items gives him an air of mystery but is also head-scratchingly distracting. Also, if you’re wondering why he doesn’t keep the expensive gift in his spacious seating area, it’s likely because he needs to return to the plane in the last sequence of the finale. In these last few minutes, Hijack goes from ridiculously sublime to preposterous, and this pendulum swing sums up the whole viewing experience.

In the chaos and confusion of the landing, conflicted hijacking leader Stuart (Neil Maskell) remains on the plane. It’s a last-ditch confrontation in which Stuart has decided to take Sam down. Even when the character's decisions are all over the map, Maskell deftly portrays a figure ill at ease with his active role within this money-making scheme. However, it still doesn’t make this final game of cat-and-mouse any less ridiculous.  

Equally absurd is the ease with which Sam returns to grab the jewelry he bought for his ex-wife (more on this storyline to come), yet he does! When he reenters the plane, an eerie atmosphere has descended in an attempt to crank up the revenge-thriller vibes. It's hard to take any of this seriously after everything else that has unfolded, and this additional scene is geared toward putting Sam’s life in danger once more. Unfortunately, opting for one last surprise deters from the genuinely suspenseful landing sequence. In this case, doing less is the better option, and it’s a damp squib in an otherwise well-paced finale.

It's also impossible to top the gasp-worthy conclusion to the penultimate episode, which is one of the most jaw-dropping TV moments of the year so far. The conspiracy behind this dramatic mid-air event stretches far and wide, and it’s refreshing to see Hijack switch up the terrorist playbook from racist Muslim stereotypes to organized crime, but some aspects of the plan spiral out of control from there.

As all the jigsaw pieces fall into place, it’s clear that Hijack has been throwing out numerous red herrings and misdirects regarding the passengers and the roles they might end up playing. Utilizing a cast this large in a relatively small space is no easy feat, and co-creator Smith (who directed five out of seven episodes) captures the fear, confusion, and even compliance in the face of this terrifying scenario. The one cliffhanger that doesn’t work is when a passenger is shot off-camera, which is so muddled that by the time their identity is finally revealed, the moment is muted.

Another crucial element is Andrew Purcell’s excellent production design, which draws on the variable sizes of the plane’s seating areas to elevate tension. In economy, the cramped space heightens the distress levels, whereas, in first class, they have time to consider their options – though there are passengers in each section who endanger the entire aircraft. Sam is the voice of reason and a skillful negotiator, but his eyes can’t hide his exasperation at the stupidity of most people around him. Here, Elba’s ability to convey every thought without uttering a word highlights that he’s a great action hero with both brains and brawn.

It would get boring rather quickly if Sam were the only person with common sense, and thankfully, other passengers are on the same page. However, the real heroes of this situation are the team of flight attendants acting as a go-between, and watching them put their knowledge of the plane to use anchors these scenes in reality and highlights their versatility. After the wi-fi is switched off, Sam uses a video game on the in-flight entertainment system to converse with the pilot, and this resourcefulness adds to the enjoyment. However, a premise like Hijack’s relies on characters making as many extremely dumb choices as smart ones.

On the ground, Detective Daniel O’Farrell (Max Beesley) ticks both boxes, bringing Flight KA29 to the attention of Zahra Gahfoor (Archie Panjabi, wasted in this role) and the counterterrorism unit. Unfortunately, Daniel also lets an important witness leave the room, and somehow the older woman makes it to a busy dual carriageway (or as the Americans in the audience would call it, a highway) before he can catch up. Later, when trailing the released criminals, his attempt at staying unseen is laughably bad. There is also the matter of Daniel dating Sam’s ex-wife Marsha (Christine Adams), and Sam’s gift and her pre-hijacking text message of “Do not get on that plane” are red flags not about Daniel but Sam. This relationship is over, and to paint the hero in this negative light is a fascinating choice, but as with other Hijack threads, it is a story half told. 

It would get boring rather quickly if Sam were the only person with common sense

Daniel’s competency is partially restored when he figures out Marsha and Sam’s son Kai (Jude Cudjoe) is in danger, and Hijack features characters trying to prove they’re good at their jobs with mixed results. (If Eve Myles’ performance wasn’t so good, it would be hard not to roll your eyes at how air traffic controller Alice can’t get to work on time but quickly deduces something is awry in the sky.) In contrast, the various political figures don’t even have the air of knowing what they’re doing. Some of their negotiations feel like they’re trying to add weight to Hijack, but instead make the British government look inept – though that might also be the point. 

Like the recent Netflix thriller The Night Agent, Hijack has a lot of pulpy entertainment value and is bolstered by its cast. Some of the plotting might be as erratic as the passengers on Flight KA29, but with Elba as a (mostly) level-headed presence in the fuselage, the audience is in safe hands. The finale is nail-biting, and while the last sequence is one fight too many, Hijack manages to stick the landing without veering too far off the runway.