The Last Hijack | Tommy Pallotta, Femke Wolting | New York Film Festival 2014
In last year’s Best Picture nominee Captain Phillips, audiences saw Somali pirates portrayed from the perspective of those who were held hostage by them. The tables are turned in Tommy Pallotta and Femke Wolting’s documentary The Last Hijack, where we learn about Somalian piracy through a real life Somali pirate named Mohamed.
We learn that Mohamed is one of the most experienced and respected pirates in Eyl, a Somalian town where many locals have converted to the more profitable profession that is piracy. Only its a dangerous jobs with many risks, that include death or time behind bars. This causes a large internal conflict for Mohamed, who receives scrutiny from his family, who beg him to quit. The documentary portrays his struggles with the decision to conduct one last hijack, or leave it all behind.
It’s easy to look at pirates and just see evil and greed, but Pallotta and Wolting’s documentary shows what its like living in a world where one of the only ways to turn a profit is through a life of crime. They show us what transpired through Mohamed’s youth that lead him down his road, a transition that he describes as “from pauper to president.” We see these images, as well as the hijackings through animated portrayals that take us to where the directors couldn’t possibly go. This method didn’t always work, but its understood why it is used.
The film doesn’t idolize Mohamed or the pirates, showing both sides of the equation in Somalia. We learn about Radio Daljir, a radio station that advocates against piracy. The hosts have to live in fear of retaliation from the pirates, receiving dicey phone calls and constantly checking underneath their cars for bombs. But its the heartfelt confessions from Mohamed’s parents and wife that are the most eye-opening. They urge their son to do the right thing and put his dangerous profession behind him, but he just can’t. He scoffs at his wife’s suggestion to take an honest job because they pay is too low. The payout that he receives through piracy is worth the risk. From his point of view, he never had a choice.
The Last Hijack succeeds because of the objective view that Pallotta and Wolting take in their direction. They don’t play favorites or ask us to take sides, they portray it as is, allowing us to make our own judgements and contemplate what we would do if we were in his shoes.
Join the conversation