Hijacked Review (6.8/10): Vietnam's Sky-High Action Gamble

This hijacked review looks at Ham Tran's Vietnamese action thriller, a film that locks its heroes and villains inside a passenger jet and lets the sparks fly. It is loud, tense and proudly local. It also has some familiar flaws.

The film is also known as Death Battle on the Air, or Tử chiến trên không in Vietnamese. It arrived in September 2025 and quickly drew attention as a big-swing genre film.

Hijacked Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The hijacked plot) is simple and effective. A group of ruthless hijackers takes control of a commercial flight and tries to force its way into the cockpit. An aviation security officer has to find a way to fight back without putting the passengers at greater risk.

The story is loosely inspired by real Vietnamese hijackings after 1975. That gives the film a sense of local history, even though the drama is heavily stylised. The tagline, "Our blood. Our sky," sets the tone neatly.

What Works in Hijacked

The best thing here is the close-quarters action. Fights in a narrow aisle are hard to stage, and director Ham Tran keeps them physical and easy to follow. Vietnam News reports that The New York Times praised the fighting between the hijacker leader and the air marshals.

The cinematography also earns its praise. One critic on IMDb called it the film's most impressive feat, and it is easy to see why. The camera makes a cramped cabin feel dangerous without losing track of who is where.

• Tight setting: the plane keeps the pressure high and the stakes clear.

• Local flavour: the Vietnamese setting and history make it feel distinct from Hollywood hijack thrillers.

• Pace: at 118 minutes, it moves with real drive.

It is also a landmark of sorts. Vietnam News describes it as the most successful Vietnamese action film to date, which gives it extra weight for fans of regional cinema. If you like this genre, our action movie reviews have more to explore.

Hijacked Cast and Performances

The Hijacked cast is led by Thái Hòa as Long, with Kaity Nguyễn as Trinh and Thanh Sơn as Bình. Ma Ran Đô plays Sơn, Lợi Trần plays Hải, and Bảo Định plays Sửu. The ensemble gives the film a lived-in, team-driven feel.

The performances lean into big emotions rather than subtlety. That suits the material, which wants heroes you can root for and villains you can fear. The leads sell the tension well, even when the script hands them familiar beats.

Where Hijacked Stumbles

The film is not without problems. A CultureMix review calls it tacky and says the choppy editing takes unearned shortcuts. Some scenes do feel rushed, as if the film skips over the connective tissue that would make events land harder.

The moral lines are also drawn very sharply. One critic notes that the air marshals are presented as heroic and the hijackers as absolute evil. That leaves little room for nuance, and some viewers will find it closer to a disaster B-movie with patriotic messaging than a layered thriller.

If you prefer more complex crime stories, our crime movie reviews may suit you better.

Is Hijacked Worth Watching?

Yes, if you want a muscular, fast action thriller with a strong setting. It is not a masterpiece, but it delivers tense fights and a clear sense of purpose. Audience scores are positive: IMDb sits around 6.7, and Letterboxd averages 3.41 out of 5.

The film's biggest asset is its confidence. It knows what it wants to be and commits. Its weaknesses, mainly the editing and the black-and-white morality, will bother some viewers more than others.

For a similar mix of grit and spectacle, you might also try Sisu: Road to Revenge.

Who Will Enjoy Hijacked

• Fans of hand-to-hand action and contained-location thrillers.

• Viewers curious about Vietnamese blockbuster cinema.

• Anyone who enjoys a straightforward heroes-versus-villains story without much moral ambiguity.