Hijack 1971

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.

Beware: this movie needs some time to get started and even the actual plane hijacking at first looks rather lame and uneventful, but this movie has a slow build up in suspsense and your patience willl be rewarded with a dramatic action packed final.

The good: leave it to the South Koreans to deliver another solid crime drama, they are masters at incorporating action AND drama and they pulll it off again.

Any bad? Dont expect fireworks, this is NOT a gungho action movie, but firstmost a DRAMA with really solid leading acting performances.

Based on a true story, which makes it even more impressive to watch...

'Hijack 1971' is a fact-based story of a pilot's heroic actions during a hijacking.

In 1968, a South Korean passenger aircraft was hijacked and flown to North Korea. Only 39 of the 50 passengers were repatriated, and the hijacker received a big sum of money for the plane. In 1971, the hijacker's brother, 22-year old Yong-dae, hijacks a plane and forces them to fly to North Korea.

With the pilot injured and blinded, First Officer Tae-in takes over the ranks as pilot. Armed with hand grenades, sole hijacker Yong-dae has the upper hand, with the passengers reeling in fear. Now, Tae-in and the passengers must devise a plan before reaching North Korea, in fear that they might follow the same fate as the passengers of the 1968 hijacked plane.

The film offers plenty of drama, action and suspense and is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat for its entire runtime.

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.

Hijack 1971 is a tightly executed thriller based on a real-life hijacking, told with sharp focus and simmering tension. While the setup is familiar, the film avoids melodrama and unnecessary flash, delivering a suspenseful narrative within the claustrophobic setting of a plane. Its controlled pacing and stripped-down style build to a strong emotional payoff. A fine example of economical storytelling, Hijack 1971 stands out as one of the more effective and disciplined thrillers in recent Korean cinema.