Imagine it happens to you. You get on a plane to London and suddenly you are part of a plane hijacking in Hijack. Rest assured, because Idris Elba may come to the rescue as a master negotiator. If I see that a film or series has Idris Elba in the cast, that means to me that there is a good chance that I will watch it. This line of thinking also applied to the Hijack series. I think that Apple TV+ delivers high-quality series and in combination with such a fantastic actor it should almost be a successful project. As far as I'm concerned, that's certainly the case. Hijack is an exciting thriller that will keep you captivated until the end.
When Flight KA29 is hijacked during a seven-hour journey from Dubai to London, Sam Nelson (Idris Elba, Luther) – a talented business negotiator – tries to use his expert knowledge to save everyone on board. What follows is a psychological game between the hijackers and Sam, while a manhunt is underway on the ground to find out who the hijackers are and what their motives are.
You really want to know what happens next after another exciting ending to an episode.
If you see that the story is about a plane hijacking, you will probably think the same as what I initially thought. I've seen this so many times, come up with something innovative. Admittedly, as a seasoned series viewer, you can guess how the season will end. Nevertheless, the makers manage to surprise you as a viewer with refreshing plot twists throughout the series. The tension this produces results in a high transparency. You really want to know what happens next after another exciting ending to an episode. If you can achieve this as makers, then you are doing something right.
One of the reasons that contributes to the quality of the series is that each episode actually takes up an hour of the flight. This keeps the pace going well and the series is not stretched out unnecessarily. In addition, Idris Elba steals the show. With his charisma, he completely captivates you with every moment he appears on screen. He single-handedly ensures that the series remains exciting by being unpredictable. You don't know what to do with him. Is he trying to make friends with the hijackers and save his own skin or is he still on the side of the passengers?
You may question some things in the series. In real life, you will not be able to easily find leads in the hunt for the hijackers. In addition, an aircraft that performs suspicious actions will normally not be able to pass certain checkpoints so easily. If you think about this, you might irritate yourself. I would choose to sit back in business class and enjoy what is presented to you.
All in all, it is a very successful miniseries. I say miniseries because that is how it was originally communicated and intended. Apparently, the series was such a big success for Apple TV+ that they changed their mind and will come up with a second season. As far as I'm concerned, it should have remained a miniseries. I'm curious whether the makers can squeeze out an entertaining and refreshing season with the concept for this series. Idris Elba makes me give it a chance anyway.