Hijack 1971

The film is immersive and exhilarating, and I was able to witness the feelings of the side characters, which is really rare. It's one of the best Korean movies I've ever seen. It's brilliantly executed, and the fact that it's based on a genuine tale astounded me.

It's one of those very, very rare movies where you sympathize and understand everyone's point of view in what they do, despite whether what they do is good or bad; even the villain (the killer), you can understand his point of view and the reasons for what he does (you can identify a little via his bad past, but you hate the results intensely); they don't focus only on the hero's backstory, which is great.

This is also dramatic and hits close to home; expect to experience the characters' pain as well.

Excellent hijack movie, very well made and well scripted. The plot was based on actual events, though the beginning was a little slow but it ended up with great thrill and intensity. Honestly this is one of the best Korean movies that one wouldn't regret seeing at the cinema, what I like about the movie is its tightly packed without much long drag and unrelated sidelines, unlike a lot of overrated boring flicks flooded with fake reviews and ratings. The actors' were all well acted and the setups were decent. The only issue is the CGI of the planes isn't at the highest quality that looked kind of fake which can be a bit more realistic, and some of the CG shots were a little too fast, but those were only minor flaws that didn't affect the overall integrity.

What to say other than this is a solid movie with a solid plot and solid CGI and solid acting. However, for a Korean film, I thought it fell short in comparison to some of the greats. I mean, not every movie would be great, but Koreans are exceptional with the balance of comedy and tragedy. Many Korean movies really move the emotions, having you laugh in tears in the beginning and sobbing uncontrollably in the end.

The reason a lot of Korean films are losing their strength is because they're trying too hard to copy Hollywood. This film would be one of those and so the story seems generic and the dialogues just move the story along without making any real impact. As such the movie doesn't leave much of an impression.

I think a better writer could've made this movie great by going back to what they do best, comedy and tragedy.

6/10.

How 'Hijack 1971' builds the tension is freaking crazy. It is gradual and follows a step-by-step manual, and it makes sure that each step is impactful enough. I don't think I've watched this quality of action sequences happening in planes in Korean movies. The CGI effect is satisfactory as well. There are some weaknesses, but they are not about technology itself, but how the director uses it is too outdated. Slow motion right after the bomb exploded is just too cliche and even cringy. Also, there are some tear-jerking soap opera moments that hinders the focus of the audience because the director intends to focus not only on action but also on the story of each character. Even so, I get the intention, and I'm glad that 'Hijack 1971' is not about CGI pew-pew. Because of that story, the movie brings more reality and thus tension and thrill in the end.

A good 2024 action, thriller, and drama film based on a real plane hijacking incident that took place in 1971.

Based on a true event, the film depicts an attempted hijacking of a Korean Air Lines passenger plane flying from Sokcho to Gimpo, intended to be diverted to North Korea. The film portrays what the passengers, crew, and especially the pilots (starring Ha Jung-woo) experienced during these dangerous and tense moments, and their efforts to regain control of the situation.

Carrying the weight of being based on a true story, the film offers a high-paced and tension-filled atmosphere. Although some visual aspects and partial fictional storylines might be noticeable, the desperation, fear, and struggle for survival experienced within the confined space of the aircraft are successfully portrayed.

Ha Jung-woo's performance as the cool-headed pilot and Yeo Jin-goo's performance as the young hijacker are quite successful. The tension between the two forms one of the film's key dynamics and serves as a reminder that "there are two sides to every story." The other actors also effectively conveyed the emotional intensity of their characters.

The real footage shown at the end is impactful. After watching many cliché productions on this subject, they have produced a fine film that doesn't leave the viewer disappointed.