The premise of this film is a good one: An inside look at a Somali pirate. Unfortunately, we don't really get this inside look, beyond the superficiality of this man. The synopsis on Amazon even says "'Last Hijack' dives into the memories, dreams and fears of a man often vilified, but rarely understood."
NO, it does not.
Sure, we get to hear some of his memories, but other than his dream to be rich, there's nothing else there. By the end of this film, I know nothing about why this man is the way he is. (Other than making the erroneous assumption that people in a lawless society -- or who had some formative years when there was war -- all choose to commit crime.)
By about halfway into the film, we find out he's had a lot of children that he abandoned with his parents. Then at perhaps the 2/3rds point, we find out he beat one of the wives that he walked out on years prior. What in God's name is there to like about this man? Why should we care? What are the filmmakers wanting to communicate here? Anything?
It appears not. It's a "slice of life" into a Somali pirate who has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. And who is the same person at the end of the film, as when it started.
I happened to read the LA Times review after watching the documentary, and I couldn't agree more with it. One of the things that reviewer said, was one of the people we meet in the film -- the one running a radio station to influence people to not become pirates -- would have been a more interesting subject for a doc. I could not agree more. The ONE scene where the radio station man talks about and receives phone calls from people who possibly want him dead, was the most fascinating scene in this entire film.
In fact, if he was half the focus of this film, as counterpoint to the pirate, that would have made for a much more compelling documentary.
NO, it does not.
Sure, we get to hear some of his memories, but other than his dream to be rich, there's nothing else there. By the end of this film, I know nothing about why this man is the way he is. (Other than making the erroneous assumption that people in a lawless society -- or who had some formative years when there was war -- all choose to commit crime.)
By about halfway into the film, we find out he's had a lot of children that he abandoned with his parents. Then at perhaps the 2/3rds point, we find out he beat one of the wives that he walked out on years prior. What in God's name is there to like about this man? Why should we care? What are the filmmakers wanting to communicate here? Anything?
It appears not. It's a "slice of life" into a Somali pirate who has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. And who is the same person at the end of the film, as when it started.
I happened to read the LA Times review after watching the documentary, and I couldn't agree more with it. One of the things that reviewer said, was one of the people we meet in the film -- the one running a radio station to influence people to not become pirates -- would have been a more interesting subject for a doc. I could not agree more. The ONE scene where the radio station man talks about and receives phone calls from people who possibly want him dead, was the most fascinating scene in this entire film.
In fact, if he was half the focus of this film, as counterpoint to the pirate, that would have made for a much more compelling documentary.
