Idris Elba's Hijack (2023) is a highly effective wake-up call that breaks the summer drowsiness. Feeling down in the scorching summer? Don't worry, Idris Elba will wake you up from the hazy state of warm weather.
This beloved actor is the perfect pillar of Apple TV+'s new thriller series Hijack (2023), which is both refreshing and familiar enough to make you feel comfortable. Hijack (2023) is a classic action TV series set against the backdrop of a plane hijacking, which is rarely seen nowadays.
It is a truly eventful series. It features movie stars, gripping plot twists, intense action, and symbolic countdowns. It is a great integration, showing that television can be thrilling.
Idris Elba plays Sam, a high-level corporate negotiator who is accustomed to achieving the results he wants no matter how much effort it takes. In other words, he is the kind of person you want to sit in first class when a plane from Dubai to London is hijacked by criminals.
The series quickly dives into the theme in a similar way to the Fox series 24 Season 1 (2001) starring Kiefer Sutherland. At the beginning of the story, the flight Sam is on is hijacked by a group of impatient British people armed with guns. The hijackers, led by the neurotic Stuart (played by Neil Maskell), have unclear intentions, while Sam tries to gradually regain control of the plane. Meanwhile, the British government slowly realizes that the plane has been hijacked and reacts urgently. The government is composed of a group of vaguely defined bureaucrats, with the most important role played by Yachi Pangabi.
Hijack (2023) is a constantly evolving story in terms of action and drama, keeping the audience's heart racing from start to finish. Idris Elba is incredibly captivating, which is quite an achievement considering that his character is not likable throughout the seven-hour flight (a seven-episode miniseries). He benefits from the well-written script by co-creator George Kay, with scenes switching between the plane and the ground, providing relief from the tense atmosphere. However, when the series shows no mercy in terms of action, violence, and chaos, the plot reaches its best state. The series creators have arranged shocking twists and chilling suspense.
Hijack (2023) is not without flaws. Sam's ex-wife and son occasionally appear in the story, but they have little impact other than helping convey the flight's problems to the authorities. In some foolish moments, especially in the government's response to the hijacking, there are quite significant logical leaps that are sometimes confusing and sometimes completely absurd. The motives of the hijackers are ridiculous, and the revelation of the mastermind behind everything is also disappointing.
However, these disappointing moments are scattered among tense and truly terrifying scenes. When the camera returns to the plane, the audience is surrounded by sweat, claustrophobia, and a tense atmosphere. Every decision could be a matter of life and death. Nowadays, many TV series are too long, too serious, too complicated, and too boring. Hijack (2023) is neither excessive nor lacking. It wakes you up from your dreams and breaks the passive attitude towards watching TV. It grabs your attention.