Apple TV+ 'Hijack' Episode 1 Review: Idris Elba nails crafty negotiator Sam Nelson with a composed performance
Spoiler for 'Hijack' Episode 1
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Apple TV+'s latest terrorist thriller miniseries features a range of suspenseful tension and manages to outlay complex dynamics with a gripping storyline. Directed by Jim Field Smith, 'Hijack' features an intricate plot filled with twists and turns and unexpected revelations that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
'Hijack' centers around the plot of Flight KA29 getting hijacked during a seven-hour flight from Dubai to London, and corporate negotiator Sam Nelson (Idris Elba) intervenes to make a deal with the hijackers to save everyone on board. The storyline is loosely based on terrorism and espionage and takes the audience on a thought-provoking journey. This Apple TV+ miniseries is covered in seven episodes, with each being around an hour long. In the first episode, viewers get a peek at Sam Nelson's dilemmas and feel the terror surrounding the passengers.
In the first episode of 'Hijack', Nelson boards Flight KA29 alongside hundreds of passengers to travel from Dubai to London. As the airplane takes off, a teenage girl encounters something strange in the bathroom of the plane and ultimately takes the help of one of the passengers, who is revealed to be a hijacker. The person moves forward with their hijacking plan to commandeer the plane along with other hijackers on board. In between the events, Nelson doubts something is wrong. However, he's too late as hijackers seize control. While everyone on board seemed to be intimidated and panicky, Nelson kept his cool and used his negotiation charm to help the passengers.
Flight KA29 wheels in motion
'Hijack' Episode 1 opens at Dubai Airport as passengers, and Nelson boards the plane to travel to London. From the start, it's obvious that Nelson is a regular passenger as he lacks much luggage and engages in friendly interactions with crew members at the airport and on the plane. Nevertheless, as the passengers get on board, the wheels are set in motion for take-off. After a while, a teenage girl goes to the washroom, and to her surprise, she finds a bullet lying on the floor. She carries it secretively to her seat and talks about it to a strange man, Terry (Jasper Britton), who previously helped her with her luggage and is later revealed to be one of the hijackers. While Terry assures the girl with a lie that all was handled and it was nothing serious, he panics and visits his brother, Stuart (Neil Maskell), to tell him about the bullet and that there were changes of plans. While the hijackers planned to seize the plane a few hours before the arrival, Terry's panic got the best of him, and they hijacked the plane within an hour of take-off. With a team of five hijackers, they confiscated the entire plane, including the captain's cockpit.
Sam Nelson suspects something is off
While Terry calls out Stuart in Business Class, where Nelson is also seated, the strange conversation between the brother seems a bit off to him. He observed their expression and attempted to understand what was happening. Soon he notices green washbags in the hands of a few people, making him curious if those were being distributed by the cabin crew. So, Nelson goes to talk to a crew member inquiring about the washbag. However, it turns out that the passengers don't get a washbag. Before Nelson could even alert others that something fishy was going on, hijackers take control of the plane, and he is forced back into his seat.
While the events left the passengers stumbling, Nelson tries to keep his calm and think of ways to deal with the situation. Moreover, he secretly texts his ex-wife, Marsha (Christine Adams), that there was a "serious incident" on the plane. As a result, Marsha is seen sharing the message with her boyfriend, Daniel (Max Beesley), and her son Kai (Jude Cudjoe). Meanwhile, the plane's Captain Robin (Ben Miles) and First Officer Anna (Kaisa Hammarlund) alert the ground about the incident, but they're forced by the hijackers to take back their statement and say that it was a false alarm. Nelson is then seen courageously confronting Stuart to try to convince him using his professional negotiation skills to include him in their plan as a way to save everyone on the plane.
The elements of suspense and drama intertwined with the terrorism agenda are what keeps the viewers intrigued to stay with the gripping storyline. The next episodes will surely elaborate on the high-stake tension surrounding Nelson negotiating with the hijackers to potentially save the passages on board.
'Hijack' stars streaming on Apple TV+ from Wednesday, June 28.