In the claustrophobic suspense of Hijacked: Flight 285 (which premiered on ABC on Feb. 4, 1996), a routine commercial flight becomes a theater of terror. The plot ignites when a convicted murderer, Peter Cronin (Anthony Michael Hall), is being transported aboard a passenger jet.
In a calculated and violent move, Cronin and his hidden accomplices seize control of the aircraft, taking the passengers and crew hostage.
Among those caught in the crossfire are Dori Winston (Ally Sheedy), whose resilience is put to the ultimate test, and the veteran pilot Ron Edwards (James Brolin), who must navigate the physical demands of flying a compromised plane while negotiating with a volatile madman.
On the ground, the authorities scramble for a solution, with experts including Frank Leyton (Perry King) trying to prevent a mid-air catastrophe.
As the fuel runs low and the tensions rise, the film leans into the psychological warfare between the hijackers and the captives.
Cronin’s unpredictability keeps the stakes soaring, turning the cabin into a pressure cooker of fear.
The narrative focuses on the small, heroic actions of ordinary people trapped in an extraordinary nightmare, culminating in a desperate bid to land the plane safely before the hijackers execute their final, deadly plan.
Michael Gross, Barbara Stock and David Graf round out the cast.
Hijacked: Flight 285 (Photo/ABC)
Legacy for Hijacked: Flight 285
Hijacked: Flight 285‘s legacy rests on its position as a quintessential example of the “Movie of the Week” era that dominated 1990s television.
While it arrived in the wake of 90s big-budget theatrical hijack films like Die Hard 2 or Passenger 57, it carved out its own niche by utilizing a cast of beloved 1980s icons in more mature, gritty roles.
Specifically, the film is remembered for the fascinating subversion of Hall’s “Brat Pack” image, trading his youthful, brainy persona for a chilling and menacing performance that proved his range as a character actor.
It also served as a precursor to the intense interest in aviation-based thrillers that would saturate the media in the years to follow.
For many viewers, the film remains a nostalgic touchstone of network television’s ability to deliver high-stakes, character-driven drama directly to living rooms, maintaining a cult following among fans of the cast and enthusiasts of the disaster-thriller genre.
