Hijack '93

Hijack '93 on Netflix. The subject of Hijack is very dangerous. Be it is hijacking of aeroplane, bus, train, car, ship etc that deals with total terror in the eyes of the passengers and those who are hijacked. Their body languages totally go for toss during to terrible pressure of the highjackeers. In this film, the passengers hardly felt any pain or pressure may except one or two. All the passengers took the high acting very lightly. The direction is gone for a big toss. This not the way the director should project film. Further, there is no tension seen among the airport security where the plane lands. No government of either country is bothered about the situation. Negotiations/conversations are handled very badly. Acting and performances are mediocre. Overall, a very badly made film. Please give this film a huge MISS.

This is one hijack movie with a difference. There is less of action, more of conversation and a good portion of the movie deals with back stories of the young, naive and inexperienced hijackers. In all probability the real event had more excitement.

The director has not given the required pace to the narrative and the intermittent back stories of the four hijackers only served to slow down an already slow movie. These sob stories with bittersweet background music were rather over sentimental and boring. In any case poverty and misery of family members of hijackers could not be convincingly connected to a hijacking plan.

Nothing in the movie like direction, acting, dialogue can be considered even mediocre and is of a passable standard. The anxiety and tension of the passengers does not look realistic at all.

The scenes of negotiations however are done well. These are the redeeming feature of this uniformly insipid and unimpressive movie.

Making a movie takes a lot of work. Between casting and camera men, planning, location shoots, writing etc, the whole rigmarole can't be a walk in the park, you would expect people who take on a project like this would put a little effort into making something worth a persons time, or at least have some skill or ability. However, even with all the effort and money required, there are a lot of bad movies or there. Even bad movies I'll sometimes keep it on in the background and while scrolling through my phone, they may have a moment or two that catches my interest. But this movie isn't one of those movies; the acting, the dialogue, just everything is so bad that I turned it off within the first 10 minutes. How does it even make it to Netflix?

Where do I even start? This film has its ups and downs, but honestly, the negatives really overshadow the positives.

Let's start off with the good: the four actors playing the hijackers were pretty solid, especially Owiwi and Iku. The movie at some point stuck to the thriller vibe, with some genuinely tense moments. I also liked how the hijackers slowly began to realize their mission has failed, I think that part was done well. And I couldn't help but chuckle at the subtle shade on dentists not being "real doctors." That part genuinely made me laugh out loud.

Now, onto the bad: this movie is a total mess. I could go on and on about its flaws, seriously, I could write a thousand-word essay about it. The characters had zero backstory or distinct personality, so there was really no reason for us to care about any of the characters. At some point you couldn't tell who was who, I lost track on some of the characters (even though they weren't a lot of them) And let's be real, the acting from about 90% of the cast was pretty subpar.

And I get that it's based on real events from 1993, but it didn't feel like a movie set in the '90s at all. At some point, you forget this happened in the early 90s with their modern guns and vehicles. Honestly it was laughable

Another thing that wasn't done right was the hijackers being portrayed as a bunch of young guys looking for "social change" by taking on a military-backed government. This is a very oversimplified take on their real motives, which were more about protesting the annulment of the 1993 election in Nigeria. If they had focused on the actual political tensions, show us the political events that led to the whole thing, it would've made the film way more engaging and educational for anyone interested in Nigeria's history.

I also feel this movie would've benefitted from a closer look at the meticulous planning of the hijackers and the psychological pressure or mental stress of the passengers, it could have really cranked up the suspense, you know like those classic thrillers that draw you into the hijacker's and passengers emotional rollercoaster.

I know the the film touches on some government criticism, but it completely misses out on the broader historical context, like the political climate under General Babangida, which was crucial in shaping the real life hijacker's motivations. Adding that context would have clarified the hijackers' desperation and the bigger impact of their actions on Nigerian society.

I could keep going, but honestly, I just wish Nollywood would put in a bit more effort into movies, especially those that hinge on historical context.

Hijacking 93 sets out to tell a suspenseful story based on a high-stakes, real-life incident, but unfortunately, it struggles to maintain momentum and tension throughout. The film offers a promising start, with an intense setup that draws you in, but the pacing quickly falters as scenes feel drawn out and repetitive.

While the cast makes an earnest attempt to bring depth to their roles, the character development feels shallow. Key emotional moments lack impact, leaving a sense of disconnect from the characters and story. The production value and special effects are decent, adding a touch of realism, but the screenplay's lack of energy limits the film's potential.

Overall, Hijacking 93 is an average thriller that doesn't quite deliver on its premise. It's watchable, but it may not leave a lasting impression, making it a movie that's better suited for a casual, one-time viewing.