Hijack takes flight on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, with the first two episodes, followed by one new episode every Wednesday through August 2
Synopsis
Told in real time, the series is a tense thriller that follows the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers. Elba will star as ‘Sam Nelson,’ an accomplished negotiator in the business world who needs to step up and use all his guile to try and save the lives of the passengers — but, his high-risk strategy could be his undoing.
Review
Idris Elba. Real-time drama. Plane hijack. Sold? You should be. I’m not a confident flyer. There are people far worse than I but being trapped in titanium tube for 7+ hours is not my idea of fun. So imagine my shock and awe at the enjoyment of spending 7 hours watching Idris Elba attempt to negotiate his way out of a hijack scenario set on a plane.
Hijack is the latest in Apple TV’s burgeoning slate of big budget, high concept TV series. The seven episode drama unfolds in real-time from takeoff to landing. There’s a little bumper on either side for setup, but ostensibly the focus of show is the events surrounding the hijack itself. But be prepared. Apple is rolling out the show weekly after a two-episode premiere on June 28. Hijack does successfully leave you hanging with some brilliant twist endings. But it also functions incredibly well when binge-watched.
Somehow it’s the best of both worlds. Some streaming series really don’t function well as a binge. Others drop weekly and fail to create water cooler moments to drive interest from week-to-week. Hijack succeeds in both regards by never taking the attention away from its incredibly high stakes. Part of that is built in to the architecture of a real-time drama. There’s no denying that 24 is a classic. But Hijack is certainly a far more relatable and grounded beast. Though not without its own debatable (yet dramatic) choices, the show never resorts to desperate measures to keep audience attention.
Co-created by George Kay (Lupin) and Jim Field Smith (Criminal) together with a handful of episode specific writers, the series has an incredibly precise narrative which never lays all its cards on the table. Elba plays Sam, in the first episode we see he’s on his way home to deal with marital issues. But ex-wife Marsha (Christine Adams) and her new boyfriend Daniel (Max Beesley) certainly don’t want him getting on the plane. How right they are. To begin with that’s all we know. Nuggets of information, such as Sam’s role as a seasoned corporate negotiator, are only revealed on a need to know basis across all seven episodes.
When a passenger finds a bullet lurking in the corner of one of the plane’s lavatories it sets in motion a series of events which keep Hijack at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet. Several of the faces introduced in episode one are quickly revealed to be hijackers. They’ve been expertly planted on the plane which is headed from Dubai to London using the influence of a huge organised crime syndicate. For you real time counters, this flight generally clocks in at 7 hours and 40 minutes but I’m not saying this one will make it all the way…
A tense thriller like Hijack has to, by definition, feature a degree of misdirection. The first episode ends on a spectacular twist which certainly throws the identity of the ringer-leader in doubt. The measured pacing and slow-burning mystery allows plenty of room for interpretation. Throughout the course of the flight the audience will question choices. They’ll question motivations. More importantly, they’ll question ever getting on a plane again. What you’ll never feel is that Hijack becomes predictable.
Those hoping for Elba to simply roll up his sleeves and start kick ass which be disappointed. Hijack isn’t that kind of show. It’s far more focussed on human interaction. Even the political subplot focuses on interactions rather than action. Yes there’s a sizzling race to an airfield to bring down higher ups in organised crime. Yes there’s international incidents brought on by an unresponsive passenger plane heading towards capitol cities. All the elements are there for high-action drama. But Hijack takes the high ground every time and is all the better for it.
Elba is supported by a scintillating cast of British TV stalwarts. Torchwood‘s Even Myles plays Alice, a skeptical air traffic controller who senses something is wrong. Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) coordinates the counter terrorism forces on the ground, grappling with political egos and agendas. The hijackers include a perfectly cast Neil Maskell (Utopia) and Aimee Kelly (Call The Midwife). Then there’s Ben Miles (Andor) as the pilot, Holly Aird (Waking the Dead) as key passenger Amanda plus Justin Sallinger, Rochenda Randall and Gretchen Egolf. Genuinely this cast is incredible. Each one bringing something necessary and enriching to the plot.
The landing, at least on screen in the show, is fiery and harrowing. In realty Hijack steers itself to an excellent, satisfying and all round full ending. It’s refreshing in a world of on going dramas to see something which exists in full. I’d happily watch Elba’s Sam surviving another agonising drama but it isn’t necessary. Hijacks brilliant seven episodes stand entirely on their own as one of Apple’s most creative and inventive series.
Verdict
Hijack is an intense, high stakes thriller set at 35,000 feet. It’s prime location, rather than limiting, in fact enriches what is already a gripping drama to create one of 2023’s most binge-worthy and exciting series.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
