Apart from being a very entertaining (in my humble opinion, at least) hybrid between disaster movie and hijack thriller, "North Sea Hijack" is worth seeking out for another joyous reason; - namely the anti-typecast role of Sir Roger Moore. Moore's character, the eccentric freelance-commando Ffolkes, is the complete and utter opposite of everything the actor embodied whilst depicting his most acclaimed role of James Bond in seven different films. Instead of looking sharp and polished like Bond, Ffolkes looks like a hermit with a rancid beard and a raincoat. Instead of seducing every woman in sight like Bond does, Ffolkes is a rude misogynist who only has affection for cats. Instead of indulging in gambling and fancy cars, Ffolkes' super-exciting hobby is...tent stitch!?!
The set-up of "North Sea Hijack" is also ideal for an original and engaging thriller. Pretending to be journalists, an international band of thieves board a Norwegian supply vessel and promptly takes the crew hostage. They install powerful explosives underneath two oil ridges and threaten to blow them up if the British government doesn't pay a massive ransom within 12 hours. Admiral Brinsden and his Navy troops are powerless, but underwater-mercenary Ffolkes comes to the rescue. Admittedly, "North Sea Hijack" could have benefitted from more action footage and random collateral damage, but I can't be too harsh thanks to the awesome setting and the even more awesome supportive cast. Particularly Anthony Perkins and Michael Parks are splendid as the bad guys, and there's a bizarre sort of homosexual tension between them.
The set-up of "North Sea Hijack" is also ideal for an original and engaging thriller. Pretending to be journalists, an international band of thieves board a Norwegian supply vessel and promptly takes the crew hostage. They install powerful explosives underneath two oil ridges and threaten to blow them up if the British government doesn't pay a massive ransom within 12 hours. Admiral Brinsden and his Navy troops are powerless, but underwater-mercenary Ffolkes comes to the rescue. Admittedly, "North Sea Hijack" could have benefitted from more action footage and random collateral damage, but I can't be too harsh thanks to the awesome setting and the even more awesome supportive cast. Particularly Anthony Perkins and Michael Parks are splendid as the bad guys, and there's a bizarre sort of homosexual tension between them.