Idris Elba's aircraft thriller 'Hijack' is the proper summer time binge

On the subject of enjoyable, late-summer thrillers, Idris Elba is aware of precisely what we would like. In 2022, he starred within the superior wilderness survival flick Beast, which noticed him straight-up punch a lion within the face. (It was wonderful.) In 2023, Elba continues his streak of nail-biting summer time tales with the Apple TV+ collection Hijack.

Following a aircraft hijacking that performs out in real-time, Hijack is the proper present to look at if you wish to get sucked right into a mildly ridiculous, but completely engrossing situation. You will squeal as our heroes courageous hazard, swoon at Elba’s charisma, and even chuckle at some selection one-liners. And with all of Season 1 at present streaming, you will not have to fret in regards to the present’s most suspenseful cliffhangers. Simply press play, fasten your seatbelt, and take off into the high-octane thrill trip that’s Hijack.

Hijack delivers suspense at 35,000 ft.

Hijack opens with what looks as if a standard aircraft flight: Flight attendants welcome everybody on board, co-pilots put together for departure, passengers settle in for the seven-hour journey from Dubai to London. Little do they know that they are in for one bumpy trip.

Not lengthy after the aircraft will get within the air, a bunch of gun-toting hijackers take over. They threaten the pilot (Ben Miles) and reduce off passengers’ potential to speak with the skin world, however not earlier than a misery sign will get out. It is simply sufficient to get the ball rolling on the bottom, mobilizing a bunch of politicians and air visitors controllers to strive to determine what the hijackers’ calls for are, methods to reply, and methods to stop an airborne tragedy.

Up within the air, the hijackers suppose their plan goes off and not using a hitch. Not so! They could have deliberate out methods to get weapons previous airport safety and methods to subdue the terrified passengers, however there’s one individual they didn’t account for: Sam Nelson (Elba).

Hijack’s Sam Nelson is a right away TV MVP.

Idris Elba in “Hijack.”
Credit score: Apple TV+

Sam is a enterprise negotiator, a reveal Hijack treats prefer it’s probably the most badass factor ever, and because the present’s seven episodes play out, you may actually start to imagine it’s. That is as a result of Sam delivers a masterclass in methods to maneuver out of a seemingly unattainable scenario. He might (and sometimes does) have a gun pointed at his face, and he might nonetheless squirm out of it and have his assailant suppose he is on his facet. That is the ability of Sam Nelson — and Idris Elba.

When Sam realizes what is going on on, he instantly jumps into Grasp Negotiator mode. He pretends he desires to assist the hijackers, saying all he cares about is getting house safely to his household. And whereas that final assertion is technically true — Sam does need to reconcile along with his estranged spouse Marsha (Christine Adams) and his son Kai (Jude Cudjoe) — there is no means in hell Sam desires to see these hijackers succeed. He begins to slowly worm his means into their belief, all whereas steadily working towards them. It is a pleasure to look at, particularly due to Elba’s knack for placing his adversaries of their place. Very often, he’ll inform the hijackers that they are going in regards to the hijack the improper means, and he is all the time proper! Thank goodness Sam turned a enterprise negotiator, as a result of I’ve a sense he’d be a very efficient legal.

On prime of his verbal manipulation, Sam employs a variety of different extra-satisfying strategies to remain up to the mark. From the aircraft’s gaming system to a fellow passenger’s boxed water, something generally is a software in Sam’s arsenal. His ingenious, real-time downside fixing expertise are little doubt Hijack‘s best pleasure.

That is to not say Hijack is devoid of different thrills. The present ratchets up the strain all through, particularly in an anxiety-inducing standoff with Romanian fighter jets and a bloody medical emergency. Watching characters on the bottom scramble to avoid wasting the day proves a pleasant complement to the in-flight sequences, particularly as they start to place collectively the items of what is occurred to the hijacked plane.

But all through all of it, it is Sam (and Elba, naturally) who stays the guts of Hijack. In an ocean of panic, each from the hostages and the hostage-takers, he’s a level-headed authority determine who’d really feel proper at house in an awesome ’90s thriller. If I had been ever caught in a hostage scenario, I know I might need Sam in my nook — however for now, I am going to gladly accept watching his exploits on my TV.

Hijack is now streaming on Apple TV+.