Most people have heard of D. B. Cooper, the mysterious skyjacker who hijacked a plane from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle, in 1971.
He told the crew he had a bomb, and demanded $200,000 in ransom, along with four parachutes. After he parachuted to a wooded area, he never was seen again, nor has he ever been found.
After that, there were “copycat ” incidents, including a skyjacking perpetrated by Martin “Mac” McNally. I remember seeing McNally on TV, looking cool and smiling as he continued to make national headines. He hijacked a plane in St. Louis that he diverted to Indiana, whereupon he parachuted out with $500,000 in ransom.
It turns out that McNally and I both think this is a terrific documentary. “It’s a fantastic movie,” he told me a few days ago via Zoom.
He should know. He’s the “star” of the film that uses reenactments and lots of McNally’s own recollections about his escape, subsequent arrest and decades in prison (he now lives quietly in Michigan.)
McNally’s story is full of intrigue and surprises – it involves a coincidence that’s so wild I don’t think I’d believe it in a feature film, and it wouldn’t be fair to tell you what it is before you see the film.
What I can tell you is this the real-life story of a man who dropped out of high school, then became inspired by the D. B. Cooper tale to try it himself. This wasn’t his first flight – far from it. McNally told me he served in the Navy and was used to being airborne.
It was the parachute part that he never had experienced. In the movie, McNally talks about that, and how his ransom note to a fight attendance included a demand for $500,000 and parachutes.
‘American Skyjacker’ (IMDb)
In the reenactments that set the pace for the action, the whole cast is commendable, including a fight attendant and McNally’s sister, who appear as themselves.
Directors/screenwriters Eli Kooris and Joshua Shaffer told me they consider their film an “action documentary,” a great phrase for what may become a new genre.
At the heart of the outlandish story is McNally, whose amiable, articulate memories make the incidents before and after the skyjacking thrilling and often amusing, despite the clear dangers that faced everyone involved.
Skyjacker Martin McNally (IMDb.com)
You’ll have to work hard to find a more entertaining movie than “American Skyjacker,” or a raconteur like McNally.
4 stars
Running time: One hour and 38 minutes.
On Apple TV +
Watch the trailer here.
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