A string of solid performances bring a strong sense of realism to the core of Tobias Lindholm's A Hijacking, giving it a backbone as it structurally tells the story of the MV Rozen, a cargo ship heading for harbor when it is hijacked by Somali pirates in the heart of the Indian Ocean. And while the story stays confined, rarely showing complexity or a daring sense of uniqueness, its formulaic approach is enough to keep you on the edge of your seats as the days trickle by and negotiations slowly progress.
I was most impressed with the pacing of the film. Director Tobias Lindholm opted to keep things steady, rarely allowing the violence or tensions to boil over. While this occasionally forced the story to seem sluggish as it went through the correct channels, it ultimately stirred up a wealth of emotions, forcing the viewer to think as they agonized over the events and possible endings to this rugged and raw story. In a sense you, the viewer, join the seven hostages riding out at sea, waiting patiently for some sort of end to this horrific nightmare.
Pilou Asbaek and Soren Malling are brilliant in their roles as Mikkel, the ship's cook, and Peter Ludvigsen, the cargo company's CEO. Both work their characters with ease, presenting a mass amount of emotion as they experience the highs and lows of an unknown situation. Their performances allow the story to flow back and forth between sides with seamless fluidity, keeping the audience's attention as they rarely cross paths while working for the same outcome.
I will say that the fact that the main cargo company didn't have a procedure in place for this sort of thing was a bit of a let-down, especially since pirates are so common within the Indian Ocean. Also, the stress of the company's CEO never fully materializes (and his lash out at his wife appears to be a bit out of place), though it was likely hard to cover events from both sides of the situation when encompassing so many days.
The ending came unexpectedly, though the initial finale wasn't the true closing point, but I can't saw that I was disappointed. Was A Hijacking the best movie of the year? No. But it was contained enough to showcase a central story arc that ran its course, giving audiences a look into a situation that few are familiar with.
