--- title: "Hijack: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/hijack/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/hijack" critics_score: 63 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Hijack (2023): what the critics said Critics' score 63 from 13 reviews: 8 positive, 2 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics enjoy Hijack and are candid that what they are enjoying is nonsense. The praise clusters almost entirely on Idris Elba: commanding, magnetic, steady under pressure, and the thing holding the series together even for reviewers who dislike much of the rest. Several also credit the real-time structure and the claustrophobic tension aboard the plane for keeping the pressure up across seven episodes. The reservations gather around plausibility and padding. The hijackers are repeatedly found dim or underwritten, the storylines on the ground tedious, and more than one critic says the material is stretched thin by the running time. The spread is wide, with eight positive notices against three negative. Variety goes furthest, arguing that the real-time format itself breaks the suspense rather than building it, while Radio Times sees a far-fetched thriller that plays like Luther at altitude. Even the dissenters, though, mostly exempt Elba from the charge sheet. ## The Guardian — Lucy Mangan Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2023. Mangan calls the series brilliant, bingeable nonsense and says it is enjoyable wholeheartedly. She praises Idris Elba’s commanding charisma and the tightly paced suspense, while faulting one jarring outbreak of violence. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jun/28/hijack-review-idris-elba-makes-this-beautifully-daft-plane-thriller-soar) ## Empire — Boyd Hilton Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 22 June 2023. Hilton finds the series instantly enthralling and highly entertaining. He especially praises Idris Elba’s poised performance and the tightly controlled real-time storytelling. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/hijack/) ## Evening Standard — Maddy Mussen Rating 4/5. 16 June 2023. Mussen finds the series a highly watchable binge, despite its occasional slide into the ridiculous. She singles out Idris Elba’s magnetic performance, while noting the hijackers lack a truly unpredictable character. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/hijack-apple-tv-review-idris-elba-luther-b1087594.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han Fi1m's normalised score 76/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2023. Han finds the series an unpretentious, entertaining thriller that delivers exactly the kind of fun it promises. She particularly praises Idris Elba’s convincing, steady performance and the show’s skill at sustaining tension through shifting relationships. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/hijack-review-idris-elba-1235523930/) ## The AV Club — Saloni Gajjar Rating C-. 23 June 2023. The review calls the series a ridiculous, amusing mess and essentially background television. It praises Idris Elba’s magnetic presence and expressive performance, while criticizing the weak plot and thin supporting characters. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/hijack-review-tv-idris-elba-apple-tv-plus-thriller-1850554986) ## Radio Times — Morgan Cormack Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 26 June 2023. Cormack frames the series as a far-fetched thriller that feels markedly like Luther, rather than offering an unqualified endorsement. The accessible headline singles out that Luther-like resemblance and the story’s implausibility. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/hijack-apple-tv-review/) ## The i Paper — Neil Armstrong Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2023. The review finds the thriller uneven, with Elba’s charisma just about keeping it engaging. It praises the claustrophobic tension aboard the plane but criticizes the dim hijackers and tedious, underdeveloped storylines on the ground. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/hijack-apple-tv-review-idris-elba-thriller-2427371?ico=editors_picks/) ## Variety — Daniel D'Daddario Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2023. The review finds the series an ineffective thriller that struggles to sustain its tension. It faults the real-time format for stretching the story and disrupting the build of suspense. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2023/tv/reviews/hijack-review-apple-tv-plus-1235654543/) ## Paste — Rory Doherty Rating 7.2. 28 June 2023. Doherty finds the series entertaining and well executed, though its stretched-out runtime dulls the impact. He praises its clever, high-stakes problem-solving and the ensemble’s work under pressure. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/apple-tv-plus/hijack-review) ## The Ringer — Justin Charity Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2023. Charity finds the series a lively return to form for Idris Elba as a thriller lead. He praises Elba’s engrossing performance and the tense battle of wits, though the hijackers’ motives are less convincing. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2023/06/30/tv/hijack-apple-tv-series-cast-idris-elba-sam-nelson-luther-fallen-sun) ## Den of Geek — Akos Peterbencze Rating 3.5/5. 3 July 2023. The review finds Hijack captivating and entertaining, though it becomes less plausible and more dramatically muddled as it progresses. It praises Idris Elba’s charismatic lead performance, supported by a strong cast and twisty plot. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/hijack-review-idris-elba-does-his-best-gerard-butler/) ## Digital Spy — Rebecca Cook Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2023. Cook finds Hijack highly watchable and charmingly silly despite its clichés and thin characterisation. She particularly praises Idris Elba’s charisma and the sturdy supporting cast for keeping the drama engaging. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a44358014/hijack-idris-elba-review/) ## Collider — Nate Richard Rating 5/10. 16 June 2023. The critic finds the series tedious and overextended, despite its promising opening and more compelling finale. Idris Elba’s performance is singled out as the strongest element, bringing the story to life whenever he appears. [Read the review](https://collider.com/hijack-series-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/hijack.md