American Skyjacker

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Gary C My favorite documentary in a long while and I've seen them all. My son said it was a podcast too so now I have to figure out how to listen to it. Crazy story with a nutjob as the narrator. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/25/25 Full Review John K This is such an incredible story. There are so many twists and turns it's crazy! Highly recommended! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/25/25 Full Review Ravi B A total rollercoaster ride! WOW! What a story! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/25/25 Full Review Colleen D Really enjoyed it! It wasn't at all what I expected from a true crime documentary. Usually it's all murders and stuff but this one felt more like an action movie than a documentary. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/25/25 Full Review Winston E Really well done. At times the pacing felt a little bit rushed, but the story is a tornado of action and suspense, so I guess that tracks. Overall, you need to see this one to believe it. If it wasn't for the news footage proving it all, you'd think this was the stuff of fiction. Highly recommend. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/25/25 Full Review Nicole L American Skyjacker: The Martin McNally Story is an unexpectedly gripping true-crime documentary that turns a once-obscure 1970s hijacker into a strangely compelling character study. Rather than glamorizing the crime, the film uses McNally’s infamous 1972 skyjacking as the entry point to explore a turbulent era, a unique personality, and the odd, often absurd byproducts of desperation. What makes the film stand out is its tone: instead of the breathless sensationalism that plagues many crime docs, this narrative leans toward reflective, occasionally darkly humorous storytelling. McNally, interviewed at length, comes across as both disarmingly candid and bafflingly casual about the high-stakes chaos he once unleashed. The filmmakers wisely let him speak for himself, and the result is a portrait that oscillates between charm, regret, and a remarkable amount of self-delusion. The reenactments are atmospheric but not overdone, grounding the story in its 1970s setting without slipping into parody. The pacing benefits from a careful weaving of archival footage, interviews with law enforcement, and commentary from those who knew McNally both before and after his leap from notoriety. The film’s strongest moments come when it shines a light on the aftermath—how a single impulsive act shaped decades of McNally’s life, and how the mythology of American skyjackers has grown entirely out of proportion to the reality. As a whole, the documentary succeeds because it refuses to present McNally as a folk hero. It depicts him as a human being—flawed, impulsive, sometimes surprisingly introspective—and places his story within the broader context of an era when commercial aviation was alarmingly vulnerable and political anxiety hung thick in the air. Whether you’re a true-crime enthusiast, a history buff, or simply someone fascinated by the strange corners of American folklore, American Skyjacker offers a well-crafted, thoughtfully balanced narrative. It’s equal parts tense, tragic, and oddly entertaining—an unlikely meditation on choices, consequences, and the strange ways ordinary people can become footnotes in national history. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/25/25 Full Review Read all reviews

American Skyjacker

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