Danish cinema is becoming more and more relevant. After the sublime “A Royal Affair”  which came out last year, the Danes are darkening the summer skies with a film of a rare intensity, and one which is doubtlessly proof of their commitment to the medium and their innate talent for it. Yes, the Danes are taking filmmaking seriously and it is a joy to behold.

In this hostage-taking story involving a Danish boat and Somali pirates, there are no frills or misplaced pyrotechnics. Also absent are the well-sculpted and well-oiled super-heroes to interpret these ordinary men whose lives are going to suddenly turn into unpredictable dramas. Priority is placed on creating genuineness and to an authentic search for simplicity and tactfulness, all of which allows “Hijacking” to have a greater impact and never lose credibility.

And as to the strong-arm challenge which takes place on the phone between the CEO of a company and the pirates, the intensity is almost too much (the smart use of communication tools without overhyping it is reminiscent of what was done in the TV series “The Wire”) and sets us off on an emotional roller-coaster.

Acting performances are impeccable, the screenplay on point and on time, without any excesses or fake affects, the only drawback concerning it being the fact that it could’ve dug a little deeper narratively speaking, but that’s a minor detail in light of the impressive sum total and the quality of this committed film. “Hijacking” is the flagship film of a cinematic culture which devotes itself entirely to the telling of a story, and that’s a happy circumstance.