Captain Phillips (2013)

9/10

dfranzen7010 October 2013

Based on true events, Paul Greengrass' Captain Phillips is the rarest of thrillers, the kind that relies on neither distracting special effects nor circumspect character development. Driven by a powerful, soul-baring performance by the inimitable Tom Hanks, the movie never lags, never oversells the plight of its characters, never reduces anyone or anything to mere caricature.

Hanks is the titular captain of the United States container ship MV Maersk Alabama, cruising along the coast of Somalia with a full load and heading toward the horn of Africa. Two skiffloads of armed Somalis close in, ready to board the vessel. They're pirates, working for a warlord in their impoverished country, and they smell opportunity.

If this were a standard action flick, we might see the heroism of Phillips and his motley crew as they fight the evil pirates and save the world. It's not so here. There are nuances afoot; for once, we get the perspective of the lead pirate (Barkhad Abdi) without falling into the easy trap of feeling empathy toward him.

The pirates board the giant ship, clearly pleased with their find. Muse (Abdi) quickly proves himself to be a strong, humanistic leader; he's single minded (where's the crew? where's the goods?) but not sinister. His gang includes a strong man with a quick temper and Muse's own relative, who'd begged to come along on the mission - a mission that, when successful, would go a long way to improving their lives.

The movie is told in two distinct halves: the time spent by the pirates on the Maersk as they search in vain for treasure and crew, and the time spent in the ship's lifeboat as they make their way to Somalia. The villains are conflicted and desperate. And armed. But they're quickly immersed in an impossible situation.

This is one of the toughest, most naked performances of Hanks' stellar career. It's sometimes painful and heart wrenching to watch. He's an Everyman, per usual, but he's not also a savior or a hero. He doesn't suddenly develop super strength and overpower the bad guys. He's just a guy in charge of a boat and its passengers.

Matching him wit for wit while frantically trying to keep his own wits about him is Abdi as the skinny, intelligent Muse, seemingly a veteran of high piracy (though not against huge container ships). Abdi is a wonder to watch; unpredictable and cunning but a little greedy and rapidly running out of viable options. Truly a talent to look out for, Abdi nails this role.

The ending is predictable only in the most general sense. Bill Ray's screenplay does not duck some plausible consequences to the actions of each main player and leaves us with a scene that is as emotionally overpowering as anything in Hanks' previous Philadelphia.

It seems that every time Tom Hanks makes a good movie, people begin to label it as "Oscar bait," as if the movie were created just as a vehicle to earn an award. Captain Phillips delivers a tight, action-packed story fraught with none of the usual missteps of the genre, and if it is indeed rewarded with the highest of honors, it will be well deserved.

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10/10

Paul Greengrass directs another tension driven film bringing Tom Hanks to the forefront...

ClaytonDavis27 September 2013

Hours after the World Premiere of Paul Greengrass' newest psychological thriller "Captain Phillips," my heart is still palpating at a hundred beats per minute. Starring the magnificent Tom Hanks in his finest performance since "Cast Away," this edge-of-your-seat thrill ride lands as one of the best films of the New York Film Festival and the year.

An intricate and precisely executed thriller written by Billy Ray, everything about "Captain Phillips" works amazingly. It's this year's "Zero Dark Thirty" in tension and features not one, but two fierce performances from Tom Hanks and newcomer Barkhad Abdi. A loose dramatization and not a fact to fact retelling of a dark day for an American captain, the film takes us through the days Captain Richard Phillips' cargo ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. The film unravels itself with a narrative intensity bringing our hero from the day of his departure to the end of his journey. Writer Billy Ray's detailed and well-structured script provides Greengrass to do exactly what he does best in his directorial efforts. There are definite elements in "Captain Phillips" that remind me of the emotional and gut- wrenching effect that "United 93" had on so many of us nearly seven years ago. While you will have a near heart attack, you will be in tears by the end credits.

I haven't been this impressed with the work of Tom Hanks in years. Putting every ounce of his charm to good use but digging deep into a character with such raw and emotional fervency. Hanks' dedication and abilities utilized are the same tools used in his first Oscar-winning performance in "Philadelphia" I assure you. It's a turn that could make him this year's Daniel Day-Lewis. As his wife, the beautiful Catherine Keener is regulated to one single scene, at the beginning of our film, where Hanks dominates the conversation. Still a cherry on top if you ask me but not something that many will notice nor remember..

Breakthrough performer Barkhad Abdi is simply sensational. With a snarky demeanor as he calls Capt. Phillips "Irish" - Abdi plays Muse, a Somali pirate that is layered with pride and disdain for the human condition. Billy Ray gives him such a complexity, hinting at a sensitive undertone but not masking the overtly violent rage that embodies his soul; it's a creative formula that equals an interesting dichotomy. Abdi administers these traits brilliantly.

As you expect any Paul Greengrass film to be, the technical executions are top-notch including the intimate Cinematography by Barry Ackroyd and the tight editing of Christopher Rouse, both sure-fire Oscar nominees for awards season.

One of the amazing things about "Captain Phillips" is the final twenty minutes or so. Pent-up emotion that has built for nearly two hours, our hero's last moments with the audience are both triumphant and incredibly vulnerable. This is when Tom Hanks shows his true power as one of the finest actors to grace our screens. I admire the man. He captures the real human condition, both in courage and in the face of defeat. How would you react in what you thought could be your final moments on Earth? Who would you think about? What about if you did make it? Would you be so overcome with emotion that you couldn't focus on the blanket of safety that surrounds you, or would you just crumble into the fetus position, wanting to return to your place of origin? "Captain Phillips" renewed my love of the movies. It's what breathes life into my daily routine. It fascinates us and which is why, no matter how terrible our lives are, or how the economy falls beneath our feet, cinema still lives. Free as a bird. I'm in awe of all of this. I feel privileged to share those moments. Not to be hyperbolic or put focus on the Oscar race, which is what I do for a living, but "Captain Phillips" showed me what Tom Hanks really means to cinema. Our lives are habitual and ordinary at times, yet someone, every now and again, has the ability to capture those little quirks of our own selves. I think Hanks is this generation's treasure that will be remembered for years to come. I'm in near tears as I write this now. Paul Greengrass brought me personally into a situation that I will likely never be in and examined my frail and defenseless spiritual nature. Connection. That's what cinema is about. Few films do this. Many never will.

To get off the somber note, "Captain Phillips" is filled with high- levels of tension. Bring your defibrillator and a bottle of Xanex to make it through the picture as your heart will be beating outside of your chest. In so many ways, it's the perfect film. Real life, authentic characters, and a cast and crew that show up to deliver some of their finest works. A dynamite lesson of the human psyche.

"Captain Phillips" opens in theaters October 11.

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8/10

Very tense & makes you think about both sides of the event and if the pirates were really evil or not. I say B+.

cosmo_tiger14 October 2013

"It was supposed to be easy. I take over ship, get paid, no one gets hurt." In 2009 a Somali named Muse (Abdi) is in trouble and needs to get money for his boss fast or face the consequences. His plan is to hijack a cargo ship and hold it ransom until he gets his money. When he boards a ship captained by Rich Phillips (Hanks) he thinks he found his answer to his problems, but things only get worse for all involved. This is a true story. It's always more fun to watch a movie that is also a true story and even better when you see one that you remember the events when it was happening. As far as the movie goes it starts off pretty slow but grows more and more tense as it goes on. As great an actor as Tom Hanks is I found myself thinking that this is really a part that many people could pull off. Then I watched the last 20 minutes and realized why they got Hanks. Much like the movie Apollo 13, when you watch a movie that you know how it ends but still end up shedding a tear it is because of great filmmmaking. This falls into that category. A movie that builds momentum the entire time. Starts off slow but by the end you are hoping for more. I liked it. Overall, tense and makes you think about both sides of the event and if the pirates were really evil or not. I give it a B+.

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9/10

Pretty close to the reality

sauravjoshi8530 May 2020

Captain Phillips is a biographical drama thriller movie directed by Paul Greengrass and stars Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Michael Chernus and Faysal Ahmed.

The best thing particularly I liked the most was the authenticity and realistic approach by the director and it will be like that you are watching a real abduction scene.

Tom Hanks again did a commendable job in the role of an abducted captain. Support cast was also impressive. Background music is another strong aspect of the movie and supports the screenplay.

Screenplay is gripping and will keep you on the edge of your seats. Direction is good. Another strong point of the movie is it's beautifully cinematography.

The movie should be on the list of every movie lovers. In my opinion one of the movie with very close to the reality.

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9/10

Challenging Fortitude

billygoat107118 October 2013

Captain Phillips is a biopic based on 2009's Maersk Alabama hijacking incident, which was an intriguing story and ordeal of the people involved. This film adaptation mostly plays as a straightforward thriller with only brief backstories. In spite of whatever comment regards to the accuracy this film is getting, it didn't hurt how much of an exhilarating piece of cinema this is. Merits obviously goes to director Paul Greengrass and star Tom Hanks. It's quite predictable what you'll get if you put those talents together, but the result is somehow surprising like you've never see it coming.

There's nothing much interesting happening at the first act when the film was exploring the personal life of Richard Phillips, but that seems to be the point: the dreariness of the intro immediately presumes that he really is just an ordinary guy. Though, there isn't actually enough detail about his personal life in those scenes aside of his job and his family, same with the Somali pirate leader, Muse. Everything becomes more alive when the actual plot starts going. Lives turn upside down, tension rises every minute passes, and the humanity of both Phillips and Muse are becoming more and more visible. It's a down to earth matter of life and death where both sides aren't too perfect enough to succeed or survive, and their actions could end up causing even worse situations.

Even before the release, everybody has already been betting that Tom Hanks will get a nod for this(probably because of the accent or he's just Tom Hanks). Other than mimicking the real Phillips' accent, Hanks really gives his character a palpable sense of fear and pressure. But there is one scene in his performance that will definitely give the viewers a total impact, which it might've made the camera linger. That whole scene could be a trick for some to love this movie even more, but even without it, Hanks is still spellbinding as Captain Phillips. Another amazing performance is first time actor, Barkhad Abdi. Abdi manages to be threatening, sympathetic, and strangely charismatic at the same time as Muse, thus it makes the character more effective.

Now for Greengrass, his aesthetics are all there. Shaky camera bringing momentum in every action scene, action scenes filled with nerve wracking suspense, and sidelines taking place in control rooms. But this is his challenging side, such as United 93, when there aren't any much explosions nor fighting set pieces practically involved. The title might give one an assumption that the film is about a captain who fights off pirates. But it turns out, they're just hopeless victims who do not have a single gun to defend themselves from their armed enemies. The kind of thrill here is anxiety. You will always get the sense that there is something wrong going to happen in every step these pirates take, leading the hostages really need to depend on the government and the Navy SEALs. What's smart about this is it's all mind games. They're troubled by complicated decisions, yet have awareness of naivety. At the second half, the excitement is now relied by figuring out which of them is going to be fooled by whose tricks. By the end of the film, you will then realize how limitlessly enticing it was while realistic at the same time.

Captain Phillips is almost just a very great thriller, then it eventually becomes more powerful. Despite of calling his achievement heroism, it was more like a test of courage. The movie is wise to make sure Phillips is no glossy superhero, but a regular human being who gets to face a situation that may lead anyone to trauma, just to sacrifice the risks of his crew. Simply, that may tend to inspire which is why it's so focused to his point of view. Otherwise, the filmmaking did an astonishing job, although you already know what these people can bring. But surprisingly, it still defies our expectations. It's amazing how Tom Hanks' talent can still surprise many, and how Paul Greengrass' obvious style feels unique and fresh (in this movie, at least). Rating the film can be somewhat difficult. It's so engrossing and excellent, it's hard to notice any terrible flaws about it. Later on, it doesn't matter. Captain Phillips is a satisfying ride that ultimately does its best.

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7/10

On Board With Modern-Day Pirates!

3xHCCH14 October 2013

"Captain Phillips" is the Hollywood retelling of the true-to-life 2009 harrowing story of an American container vessel Maersk Alabama (with Captain Richard Phillips at the helm) being held hostage by Somali pirates. The screenplay by Billy Ray was based on the novel "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea" written by Captain Richard Phillips himself.

Playing the titular character, Tom Hanks is what this film is all about. He starts off simply, playing Capt. Phillips as a family man and seasoned seaman on a routine delivery. However when the pirates came, you see him transform into a cool-under-pressure leader and shrewd tactician, matching wits with these desperate aggressors. In the last five minutes, Hanks would give us an unexpected display of emotion which may well deliver him another Oscar for Best Actor.

The four Somali-American first-time actors playing the pirates are a very realistic bunch. They play with wild-eyed and feral intensity, really scary. Barkhad Abdi plays their skinny foolhardy leader Muse, engaging Phillips in a deadly chess game, toe-to-toe. Faysal Ahmed plays the hot-headed Najee, who was the loose cannon of the group. Barkhad Abdirahman plays the young recruit Bilal, getting himself a baptism of fire on his first time out.

When I saw the name director Paul Greengrass in the credits, I understood why the sense of tension and urgency were so well-conveyed. This was that familiar sense of excitement we felt in his previous films, like the last two Jason Bourne films or that suspenseful 9/11 drama "United 93". He really knows how to make military operations exciting on screen, as he did for the Army in "Green Zone" and the Navy SEALS in this film.

I have to admit I was on the verge of getting seasick with the shakiness of the camera, but luckily I held on despite the two-hour length of the film set at sea.

Overall, this is a different sort of adventure drama, with a topic not too commonly tackled in a mainstream film. We hear of these events on the news, but this film brings us right in the middle of one. We will feel the tension building as the pirates were approaching. We will feel the fear when the pirates were on board. We will feel the desperation and the frustration of being trapped in the middle of the open ocean with no help immediately forthcoming. If you are up for such a realistic experience, then this film is for you.

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10/10

Taut, thrilling and surprising empathetic

Colmo2k410 October 2013

What a stunning film - the imminent threat of deadly violence tempered with the tragic circumstances that drive people to such desperate actions made for a very human story.

If Hanks is nominated for an Oscar for this, then Barkhad Abdi deserves a nomination too, because their scenes together were electric - never once did Abdi appear the junior party, every bit Hank's equal as two cunning foes trying to outfox one another.

The best lines in the film were perhaps when Phillips beseeched of Muse: "Surely there's something other than fishing and kidnapping people you could do?"

To which Muse replied, sombrely: "In America, maybe".

It's a must see, the best film I've seen this year.

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Like a time machine to the year 2009, you'd be taken.

AndrewZaki18 January 2014

That went a lot higher than my expectations. I was thinking an okay movie, but that was more than just okay. Truly impressive powerful thriller.

The movie's strength points could be summed up:

1. Greengrass's thrillers are really fine, I like his The Bourne Ultimatum with his shaky camera tricks. And here he is doing it again maybe with different techniques. As a thriller, Greengrass managed to make this movie get on your nerves and put so much tension, and that's a success.

2. The Somali crew.. Now, that's some serious impressive sh*t. Some Somali dudes you have never seen their faces in a movie before come and make such spectacular performances, that's something you should admire. It made the movie so believable that you'd sometimes forget it's just a movie. Barkhad Abdi has made a huge step in his career with this movie and that was crowned by his nomination for the best actor in a supporting role. He probably won't get it, but he deserved it.

3. Tom Hanks is just a really fine actor. He was driving the whole thing with his convincing performance. I still can't believe he got my tearing in that scene, or let's just say crying. Greengrass has taken him to squeeze some fine acting skills.

4. Fair screenplay that didn't make you forget that justice should be done, no matter how the conditions the person lives in, but it also pushed the eyes to take a look into the world that would produce such people as pirates.

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Tense and engaging even if a little longer than needed and perhaps "Bayed" the ending in a way it didn't need to do

bob the moo24 May 2014

Although it is basically a true story, I must be one of the few who did not know the ending already, since I had never heard this specific story. How much it matters if you already do or not I cannot say, but for me the film was not really about the resolution until near the end because for most of the time it is about the moment and what is going on there and then. It does this by breaking the story down pretty well into such contained but yet connected moments so that it is effective at the time and also has a flow to it.

There are moments where it doesn't really keep that up – some of them it needs, but others it doesn't. In the tension and in the lulls, the film does well to keep things evenly balanced so that you don't completely turn against the Somalis as if they were generic baddies, but at the same time it never pushes anything down your throat about their situation. The one thing I was surprised that it came on strong about was the military response. I'm not sure if the film was trying to make a comment by playing it quite so "Hollywood" at the end, but to me it did feel a bit odd in the film to have the music, camera-work and dialogue of a Michael Bay movie occurring in a situation where they were facing down a couple of guys with more feet than shoes. It still worked, don't get me wrong, but at the same time it had a generic feel to this aspect that I could have done without – particularly since earlier it seemed smarter than that.

What helps it in these moments (and throughout) is that Hanks is great. He plays it out in a natural and convincing way, whether he is over- confident or in shock. Much has been made of Abdi's performance and I do see why, because it is frequently easy to forget that he is acting because he does seem quite real throughout. The supporting cast perhaps have fewer opportunities for nuance but they are still convincing and play their parts well, particularly those in the confines of the lift raft.

Captain Phillips could have been a little shorter and been better for it and, while I don't totally see the film that others did, I did still enjoy it. It is tense and yet nuanced throughout, only really producing some aspects that don't work quite as well in the meantime.

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9/10

Tom Hanks will nearly bring to tears

DarkVulcan2914 October 2013

Based on the true story, in March 2009, Captain Philips(Tom Hanks) who is running an oil tanker. Which starts out as a simply run, soon becomes a nightmare when African pirates with machine guns take over the ship. Philips has the crew hide, while he tries to talk to the pirates. How will it all end for Captain Philips?

Paul Greengrass direction was brilliant, the movie is very suspenseful, it has you on the edge of your seat, on how it's going to end. Now it does slow down in spots, but it does keep your interest. Tom Hanks performance is Oscar worthy, he makes you such an emotional depth. The setting is perfect, you'll feel like you are being taken hostage with him.

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8/10

Pretty Damn Good

marcus-blakelock10 October 2013

It's fair to say that the movies which have been walking away with Box Office numbers this year have been either big superhero movies or big sci-fi movies. If you're wondering whether or not you should go and see this film because it looks like something a little different DO IT! This is a film, regardless if you already know the story, which delivers excellent acting, excellent moments of tension and excellent use of emotion which ,when you leave the theatre, won't be difficult to feel at all. Now if you're still considering whether or not you should go and see this film, let's address the rumours you might have already heard: 1.There's been a lot of talk about Tom Hanks potentially claiming another Oscar - yes he simply HAS to be up for contention after this. True in the first half of the film he doesn't necessarily have to be all out emotional, but he does enough so that when we reach the second half and ultimately the final act, we are in as much shock and awe as the character of Richard Phillips through watching his performance. 2. A few people have said "too much Tom Hanks." There's two sides to this: Obviously he's going to be in the story a lot because he is the star BUT he doesn't give the only good performance here; the Somali pirates are truly terrifying, not just because of what they are but because their characters have a lot of uncertainty making them very unpredictable. 3. Some people are saying it's overrated and we've seen it all before. I'm not claiming its the greatest movie ever made, but what I am saying is its definitely worth a look. So if you're worried about wasting some cash don't be, it's definitely a film you won't regret paying for.

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8/10

This is indeed Africa

bkoganbing16 October 2013

In the great Leonardo DiCaprio film Blood Diamond, the standard explanation for why the political situation is so screwed up in that continent wherever you go it was simply T I A, This is Africa. And one of the most screwed up places in that continent is Somalia which has not had an effective central government in years now.

It's a country totally devolved now with a bunch of warlords, some with ties to Moslem supremacist groups, others have no ideology but profit. With no government to rein them in, some on the coast have discovered that piracy is an effective way of making money.

So what starts out as two small skiffs with outboard motors and four men in each boat turns into one skiff with four armed men who get lucky and find a whole in the boat's defenses and board the USS Maersk Alabama, a freighter with a good cargo and commanded by Tom Hanks playing the real life Captain Richard Phillips who becomes a hostage of the pirates as they leave in one of the ship's lifeboats.

After that it becomes a battle of wits between Hanks and pirate leader Barkhad Abdi and will the US Navy effect a rescue. This battle is at the heart of Captain Phillips. This man is mister average American, no superhero and doesn't claim to be. His responses to these volatile pirates are a matter of having his training kick in.

What I did not understand is why a merchant freighter going into those waters was not armed. Certainly in World War II eventually they were armed. I wouldn't advocate arming our whole merchant fleet but when you're sailing in waters like off the Somali coast it would seem the prudent thing to do.

Tom Hanks gives a wonderful performance leading a very well cast film showing sailors and pirates caught up in a bad situation.

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9/10

Exhausting, Thrilling and Powerful.

gt-thereelword10 October 2013

Paul Greengrass has proved his talents with two fantastic Bourne films, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, and two impressive real-life dramas, Bloody Sunday and United 93. Green Zone, while being a little like Bourne in Baghdad, was also a worthy thriller. Captain Phillips sees Greengrass deliver another true story to the big screen, proving that he is indeed the current king of cinematic re-enactments.

Tom Hanks gives one of his finest performances in a long time. His Captain Phillips is a professional, serious man that keeps his emotions in check while sternly ensuring his crew understands his expectations. As the situation escalates, his emotions begin to creep through. Leading towards a final release that is both heartbreaking and relieving. Hanks' character isn't explored too deeply, but we are nevertheless with him every step of the way.

In a fantastic casting choice, Tom Hanks is more than matched by Barkhad Abdi, who truly shines as the lead pirate. We're given more access than expected to this character – to all four pirates for that matter. Abdi manages to evoke empathy from a character that could have easily succumbed to stereotypical villainy. His performance provides a complex level of emotion to the proceedings. He knows that the situation has easily ran away from him, yet he naively decides to re-assure himself – and Captain Phillips – every chance he gets.

This is no-nonsense filmmaking of the highest order. Paul Greengrass' kinetic camera rises above the sometimes dizzying approach from some of his last films. The hand-held factor works beautifully here, ensuring the you-are-there level of realism is cranked to a ten at every second. As the events escalate, we are always kept aware of what is happening. While skipper jargon and navy terms are exclaimed every which way, care is placed on making sure we still know exactly what is going on. Billy Ray (Breach, State of Play, The Hunger Games) constructs a taut and clear screenplay that compliments Greengrass' filmmaking style.

To call this tense is an understatement. Henry Jackman's score pushes every sequence to an almost unbearable level of tension, Barry Ackroyd's cinematography beautifully captures the sweat and intensity of every moment, and Christopher Rouse's masterful editing brings it all home.

Exhausting and thrilling, Captain Phillips is all the more powerful with the knowledge that you're witnessing a true story. Paul Greengrass and co. have crafted an experiential film that you won't be forgetting in a hurry.

thereelword.net

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Action the Greengrass way

Buddy-517 June 2014

Warning: Spoilers

Based on an event that garnered worldwide attention in 2009, "Captain Phillips" tells the tale of two total strangers, both hailing from opposites corners of the earth, who are brought together by circumstance and fate.

One of those individuals is Richard Phillips, the captain of an unarmed cargo ship sailing through international waters off the coast of Africa en route to Mombasa, and the other is Abduwali Muse, the leader of a band of Somali pirates who are determined to board the ship and hold its captain and crew hostage for ransom.

Billy Ray has based his screenplay on the book "A Captain's Duty" by Steven Talty and Phillips himself. The movie, directed with his usual taut precision by Paul Greengrass, relates the story in step-by-step detail, exploring the relationship between these two wildly disparate but equally desperate captains, as a thrilling real-life drama plays itself out on the high seas. While Phillips' self-sacrificing heroism - and that of the Navy Seals who successfully took out three of the four pirates - takes center stage in the drama, Ray is still able to give Abduwali his due, making it clear that the young man has been driven to this action as much out of desperation as out of greed or criminal intent, since illegal fishing and the dumping of toxic waste on the part of foreigners in that area have pretty much depleted the Somali fishing grounds, leaving men like Abduwali without any viable means of supporting themselves and their families. Sadly, piracy becomes the next obvious step in the struggle for survival. It would have been easy to have turned Abduwali and his cohorts into one-dimensional villains, but, to their credit, Ray and Greengrass have chosen not to do so.

This complexity of character is attributable in no small measure to the outstanding performances by veteran Tom Hanks and newcomer Barkhad Abdi, who earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work here. Together, they create a human dynamic that carries the film far beyond the heart-stopping, race-against-the-clock surface aspects of the drama. Not that the visceral is in any way slighted, for in true Greengrass fashion, the film moves along at a breakneck pace, rarely slowing down to give the audience a chance to catch its breath along the way.

By far, the most effective scene in the movie comes right near the end, after Phillips has been rescued and is taken to the ship's trauma center to ascertain his physical and mental condition. Unlike the vast majority of movies and TV shows in which characters who are subjected to horrifying circumstances seem to bounce back from them almost immediately, "Captain Phillips" shows us the true human response to a life-shattering, traumatic event (thanks in no small measure to Hanks' magnificent acting).

It is just this type of insightful verisimilitude that informs each and every moment of "Captain Phillips."

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Voices of the voiceless

tieman643 January 2014

Warning: Spoilers

"Of the crooked timber, no straight thing can ever be made." - Immanuel Kant

Paul Greengrass directed "United 93" in 2006. The film was marketed as an "apolitical" and "objective" account of the September 11th attacks, but was devoid of all historical context, and so functioned more as a Pentagon propaganda piece. Here was a film about a handful of state assisted Saudi Arabians attacking at least 3 high profile US buildings which totally ignored the United States' relationship with Saudi Arabia, totally ignored how these attacks were used as a pretext to launch two illegal wars, totally ignored US ties to Al Qaeda, the group purportedly behind the attacks (on the very day of 9/11, the US were collaborating with Al Qaeda within the Macedonia civil war), and totally ignored both the motivations behind the attacks and what certain Saudi's stood to gain from another Western crusade. To this date, the 9/11 Commission, the White House, FBI, CIA and British government have failed to provide proof (not garnered from water-boarding) that Al Qaeda carried out 9/11 or that Al Qaeda chieftain Osama Bin Laden masterminded the attacks, let alone that these groups or individuals constitute the governments of Iraq and Afghanistan, the two countries upon whom wars of retaliation were subsequently waged. Osama Bin Laden was killed in 2011 (again no evidence was presented to the public). In 2001, before the US invasion of Afghanistan, the Bush administration turned down offers by Afghanistan's Taliban groups to turn Bin Laden peacefully over to US authorities.

Like "United 93", "Captain Phillips" revolves around a vessel being hijacked. Here the Maersk Alabama, a Danish/American container ship, is boarded by four armed Somali pirates. The pirates battle with the Alabama's crew, before escaping with the ship's captain (Tom Hanks) aboard a lifeboat. The United States Navy then arrives. They surround this lifeboat with a small fleet and proceed to assassinate three pirates. The fourth survives, and is subsequently jailed in America. Captain Phillips survives.

Whilst Greengrass obviously sympathises with both his Somalis and the crew of the Alabama, you simply can't frame a film as a thriller, or depend heavily on the US Navy loaning you a flotilla of aircraft carriers and destroyers, and not expect it to be anything other than compromised. This is ultimately a film in which the Somalis are manic bad guys (high on drugs, no less), in which the Alabama's crew are good guys "delivering aid to Africa" (most of their cargo wasn't relief aid), in which all context is ignored and in which the US Navy does "murderous but wholly necessary things". The film is matter-of-fact to a fault. This is all there is to reality, it says. Accept it.

But as everyone knows, to the point of being smugly annoying, that is not "all there is". The Somali pirates are largely a result of Western companies dumping nuclear and toxic waste off Somalia's coast, coupled to severe illegal over-fishing by foreign super trawlers (300 million dollars worth of seafood stolen from Somalia each year). The United Nations would itself release numerous reports blaming toxic waste for mutations, deaths, diseases and illnesses within Somalia. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN envoy for Somalia, would say: "There is uranium, lead, cadmium, mercury, industrial, radioactive, hospital and chemical waste killing Somalis and completely destroying the ocean." Why can companies do this? Because Somalia's government has all but collapsed, thanks to Western Empires deliberately destabilizing and developmentally arresting the nation, funding warlords, dictators (Siad Barre et al) and instigating proxy wars with border nations. This has been going on, uninterrupted, since the late 1950s; any local government body not beholden to Western corporate interests, and which attempts to nationalise resources, will be destroyed.

In the early 2000s, Somalia began to fight back. To oppose US-backed warlords, right-wing religious factions began to unite, some under the name The Union of Islamic Courts. The UIC united almost all of Somalia and provided stability, but was nevertheless swiftly demonized by the West – their unwitting creators - as "Islamist terrorists". Because the CIA solves everything with bullets and blood, the US and UK then pushed its Ethiopian puppets into invading Somalia. Tens of thousands died and the UIC was pushed back. Tired of all this crap, and forged in a cocktail of anarchy, the militant group Al Shabaab was formed, partially to fight off Western and Ethiopian gangs. Today, they are US public enemy number 1.

Whilst Greengrass undoubtedly intends his film to be a work of social critique, possibly like some of his earlier pictures ("The Green Zone"), "Captain's" narrow scope hampers things. You can not tackle such a loaded event in such a constrictive manner and expect it not to set up, intentionally or otherwise, many false assumptions. One senses Greengrass attempting something approaching satire – the idea of a film in which a zillion dollar US fleet is absurdly pitted against four lowly pirates who literally struggle to "climb to the top of a (socioeconomic?) ladder" is genius – but satire is completely beyond him. Juxtaposed scenes in which Hanks and our pirates talk about "fighting for promotions" feel, for example, reductive rather than enlightening.

Beyond politics, the film is tense, well shot, but also repetitive and overlong. The casting of Hanks brings dubious (and possibly ironic) connotations, Hanks the poster boy for a post-John Wayne Americana ("Apollo 13", "Private Ryan", "Band of Brothers"), genteel but packing heat. Philosopher Jacques Ellul once predicted that future propaganda would increasingly portray itself as being "apolitical", "naturalistic" and cloak itself in "realism". Greengrass' military-men are emblematic of this shift: grim, stoic and fixated on "just doing their jobs", everything forever outside their purview and moral radar. Greengrass' camera adopts the same stance.

6/10 – Wastes a good premise.

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10/10

Great Acting

EmmeCHammer27 March 2022

Warning: Spoilers

This movie shows why Hanks although not my all time favorite but can hold ranks with any actor in the biz. The screenplay and directing are spot on. Hanks give a performance so real he tugged on my heart strings at the end when rescued and IN SHOCK , the conversation tween Capt Phillips and the Nurse are phenomenal. Abdi who plays the "captain " of the Somali pirate crew that takes over Captain Phillip's cargo ship is Sooooo good at being the Head of the pirates he's lucky he wasn't really arrested on set lol, he's that authentic. Hanks and Abdi deserve every praise and awards that come from this film. Shout out to Billy Ray loves his work.

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8/10

A superb and fascinating thriller with a top-drawer acting by Tom Hanks

ma-cortes21 November 2013

This is a powerful and intensely watchable film , a masterful exercise in building tension . Director Paul Greengrass has established himself as a huge talent . This is the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years . The first encounter with the young Somalis who chase and board the gigantic Maersk Alabama is on the shores of their homeland, delving , briefly but significantly , into the poverty that drives fishermen to risk life and limb in pursuit of deep sea big game . As the crew of an American cargo ship is hijacked by Somali pirates who proceed to engage in escalating negotiations with authorities to get a lot of money . Amongst the men on board are the ship's captain who along with the rest of the seamen are taken hostage in a cynical game of life and death.

It's a grade A picture , a gem , absorbing , riveting , highly moving , incredibly tense . This is a psychological drama in which a group of violent pirates demand for a ransom of millions of dollars , it unfolds a battle of wits between the crew of the shipping company and the Somali pirates . This is a smart and sensitive thriller filled with noisy action , thrills , emotion and very entertaining though overlong . Thrilling as well as exciting confrontation of wits between captain Phillips , seamen and pirates , who gradually come to up more and more . This drama about the capture on the high seas of an American ship is doubtless the most exciting one that has ever come down the pike about . This nail-biter is a tightly-knit drama centered on the relentless sea maneuvers of a freighter pursued by a band of pirates and the captain's subsequent kidnapping . The picture makes up for it with an evolving atmosphere of anxiety and fear .

Everything in Paul Greengrass's impressive film looks so real that you might think it's a high resolution videotape of a pirate hijacking . Interesting screenplay , being based upon the book "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" . And the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama and hostage-taking of Captain Phillips were also central to the Elmore Leonard novel Djibouti (2010). The timing of the release coincides with the theatrical release of a Danish movie titled "Kapringen" or ¨A Hijacking¨ (2012) by Tobias Lindholm dealing with similar events . Top-notch performance by Tom Hanks as a clever as well astute captain along with a remaining support cast formed by unknown African players . Tom Hanks says the first time he met the actors playing the Somali pirates was when they started filming the pirates taking over the bridge , Paul Greengrass mentioned he did this intentionally to build up tension between the actors on board the ship and the actors playing the Somaili pirates. In ¨Captain Phillips¨ there is the urgent hand-held camera-work, a directorial trademark refined and perfected by cameraman Barry Ackroyd , which lends an air of pseudo-documentary authenticity to carefully staged reconstructions, putting us right there in the huddle of the action . Furthermore , a tense as well as enjoyable musical score by Henry Jackman .

The motion picture was compellingly directed by Paul Greengrass who proved his action aesthetics and nail-biting filmmaking as well as he formerly made in ¨Green zone¨, ¨The Bourne ultimatum¨ , ¨United 93¨, ¨Bourne supremacy¨ , ¨Bloody Sunday¨, among others . Rating : Above average , a magnificent film . Essential and indispensable seeing . The picture will appeal to Tom Hanks fans .

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7/10

Not Flawless, But Perhaps Oscar-Worthy

gavin694219 January 2014

The true story of Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

After seeing "Captain Phillips", I can only call it 2013's version of "Argo", with a little bit of "Zero Dark Thirty" mixed in. Although, it is not as entertaining as "Argo" (with good reason) and not as densely technical as "Zero Dark Thirty" (perhaps a good thing).

While it may be fair to critique the film for historical accuracy, this is one time I am not going to do so. The captain has his story, the crew has theirs, and the military and pirates probably see it other ways, too. But the film is called "Captain Phillips" and is based on his book, so the film's only goal was to tell his story, whether or not it matches the facts completely.

There are two negative things that must be said about the film. The first is that the shaking camera is all wrong. While I understand that this makes sense for hectic, tense scenes, it is completely unnecessary to use at all times. Perhaps the effect was intended to make the audience feel they were really there, but it came across as more annoying and was ultimately a poor cinematography decision.

The second issue is how long some scenes run, and as much as five minutes could have been cut. This is forgivable, however, given how much the suspense pays off in the final act. While the audience may get bored if their attention span is weak, they will wake up in the fast-paced finale (which is far more fitting from a director known for the "Bourne" franchise).

With regards to the Oscar nominations, I have no opinion on its three technical categories and cannot fairly judge Billy Ray's adapted screenplay without reading the book (though I think his finished product is quite good and likely deserved the nod).

In the acting category, it is surprising to see Tom Hanks get overlooked when he was awarded by many other groups (including the Golden Globes). Between this and "Saving Mr. Banks", many people saw this as a banner year for Hanks. Hanks is a difficult person to judge with regards to acting because his face is so recognizable and therefore he is seen as Hanks rather than his character. But with the intensity -- and actually getting vomited on for the role -- this was his best work in years and it is unfortunate he was overlooked.

Barkhad Abdi has been nominated for a variety of supporting actor awards, including an Oscar. I am torn on this universal praise. While I think he certainly would earn the "debut" or "breakout" award if one existed, was he the best supporting actor in 2013? Perhaps not. Abdi will never be an A-lister and may not even pursue further acting, so it is great to see the recognition... but to win? Perhaps not.

And as for Best Picture, this just is not going to happen. Despite some strong performances and an incredible attention to detail with regards to how the ship and military operate, this is not a "best" picture, and its nomination was even questionable. Worth seeing yes, but best picture no. The Golden Globes gave the film four nominations and zero wins; I suspect the Academy will follow a similar decision-making process.

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7/10

I'm just a cook...

rooee24 October 2013

Warning: Spoilers

Cinema has come a long way since Under Siege. The titular hero of this story is no expert in hand-to-hand or weapons and tactics. He's definitely not a cook.

Tom Hanks is Richard Phillips, captain of the Alabama cargo ship, en route to Mombasa via Somali no-man's water. Muse (impressive newcomer Barkhad Abdi) arrives with a handpicked crew of pirates, and they board the Alabama. Nail-biting tension and hostage-taking will follow. It's best that one goes into the film knowing no more.

Paul Greengrass is the best director working today in the authentic documentary aesthetic. He knows that the drama is in the detail. Captain Phillips' most thrilling moments are when Greengrass is most exacting and pedantic about characters' relative positions within the environment. That sounds kind of formal, but then Greengrass's shaky-cam does veil an essential precision. He focuses on the immediate situation, leaving us the viewers to picture it in the wider political context.

As with Kathryn Bigelow, Greengrass's anti-polemical style is occasionally a curse but mostly a blessing. The action may occur on the surface, but there's depth beneath the objectivity – perhaps best encapsulated in the image of three mighty US warships surrounding a tiny craft in international waters.

The implicit themes are globalisation and imperialism. The opportunism of the pirates is met with a defence based on an escalating chain of command. It's chaos versus structure; improvisation versus meticulous contingency planning. Money is nothing without an entrenched system to contain it and protect it. Sorry, Africa – we'll throw food parcels in your direction but we won't help you build long-term infrastructure plans, and you sure as hell can't step on "our" turf.

When the pirates are first approaching the Alabama, Muse presents his gang as seaborne law enforcers, and I couldn't help thinking of the United States' assumed position as "world police"...

More than anything, Captain Phillips reminds us of the power of Hanks and Greengrass, two servants of cinema at the absolute top of their game, and that should be recommendation enough. It's worth paying to see – please don't pirate it!

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10/10

"They're not here to fish"

virek21318 October 2013

While we were fighting terrorists in two different theaters of war after the 9/11 attacks, nobody could have anticipated than an old-world form of terrorism, namely high-seas piracy, would come back in style. But that's what befell the crew of the American cargo ship Maersk Alabama in April 2009, when four Somali pirates took over their vessel, resulting in a three-day ordeal in which the captain of the ship, Richard Phillips, was held hostage for a $10 million ransom. That ransom was never paid; and a team of Navy Seals managed to end the crisis by killing the four pirates, who had been holding Phillips hostage in an escape boat less than two hundred miles from the Somali coast. Phillips and his crew, however, all survived the horrific ordeal, shaken but alive. This is the true story told in the movie CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, based on the book "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" by Phillips and co-writer Stephan Talty.

Effectively directed by Paul Greengrass, whose penchant for docudrama was perhaps best established in the much-lauded, and intense, 2006 9/11 film UNITED 93, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS stars Tom Hanks in the title role, of the captain who, aware that armed Somali pirates were present in the waters of the Indiana Ocean some six hundred miles east of Somalia, urges his crew to keep a lookout for any skiffs that seem to contain armed men. One such group, led by Abdi, approaches them; but through some skillful maneuvers, they manage to evade them. The next day, however, the Maersk Alabama isn't so lucky. Armed with automatic weaponry and with a better knowledge of American cargo ship tactics, Abdi and his four companions board the ship and hold Hanks and a few others hostage (this while Hanks has managed to get the rest of his crew below deck and out of sight. When one of the hijackers gets his foot badly injured by broken glass, Hanks urges them to get help, and leaves with them in the ship's escape boat. The pirates believe that Hanks is willing to be a hostage in an act of self-sacrifice; but all along, his crew on the Maersk Alabama, are tailing him and his captors; and the decision is made from Washington to end the crisis by the use of the Navy's elite Seal Team Six (the same one that would, in 2011, track down and kill Osama Bin-Laden). It all comes down to a fierce confrontation within a hundred miles of the Somali coastline.

The same sense of realism that infused UNITED 93 also informs CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, with Greengrass and his director of photography Ackroyd doing things largely in the same documentary, almost cinema verite, style that had worked for both UNITED 93 and Greengrass' 2002 docudrama BLOODY Sunday. Just as much of the success of the film, however, is also owed to the incredible Everyman performance of Hanks in the title role. His ability to do the Everyman role, exemplified in his portrayal of astronaut Jim Lovell in the 1995 Ron Howard classic APOLLO 13, works out quite well for him; and Barkhad Abdi makes for a particularly great adversary. There is a real sense of Greengrass, as he had done on UNITED 93 (as well as Hanks on APOLLO 13) of not wanting to do everything in CAPTAIN PHILLIPS as your typical Hollywood action blockbuster, and the end result, along with an intense score by Henry Jackman (which also interpolates the climactic cue of John Powell's score for UNITED 93) being the icing on this cake, is a tremendous piece—indeed, one of the best films of 2013, in the final analysis.

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9/10

Great Duel between "Captains"

claudio_carvalho8 March 2014

In 2009, Captain Richard "Rich" Phillips (Tom Hanks) of the US-flagged Container Ship Maersk Alabama is navigating in international waters near the Somali coast and he notes that Somali pirates are following his ship. Captain Phillips tries to escape but four Somali pirates reach the deck and hijack his vessel. Phillips hides his crew in the engine room and the Somali pirate Captain Muse (Barkhad Abdi), the violent Najee (Faysal Ahmed), the teenager Bilal (Barkhad Abdirahman) and Emil (Mahat M. Ali) come to the wheelhouse and find only Phillips, his First Mate and another crew member. Muse demands money and Phillips offers him US$ 30,000.00 that are in the safe. Muse decides to seek out the crew, but the situation is reverted and he is captured. The Chief Engineer proposes to exchange Muse per Phillips and they offer the lifeboat and the money to the pirates. However Muse kidnaps Philips and takes him hostage to the lifeboat. The duel between the American and the Somali captains has just begun.

"Captain Phillips" is a dramatic thriller based on the true story of the first American ship hijacked by Somali pirates. The story is engaging and holds the attention until the last scene, despite the 134 minutes running time. The characters are well developed and the duel between Philips and Muse is excellent. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Capitão Phillips" ("Captain Phillips")

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6/10

Interesting story but slightly boring.

Shopaholic358 March 2015

While I did like this movie I thought it wasn't very consistent. There were moments when I was bored and moments when the story was heightened with suspense. Obviously you can't go changing the boring moments of a true story but maybe they could have condensed the movie down to an hour and a half. The story would have been told without stretching it out for no apparent reason.

Aside from the storyline the actors were really good. You expect that from Tom Hanks but the hijackers were the ones who really stole the show for me. They were very realistic and believable. They provided most of the entertainment in this movie and created a lot of drama.

This is a movie that everybody should watch once in their life but I still feel that it could have been better.

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7/10

Captivating

Kingslaay6 June 2021

Shocked to learn this was based on a true story and kicking myself for not watching it in the cinema when it came out. Captain Phillips is gripping from start to end. Tom Hanks shows us why he is one of the best in the business with his emotional portrayal of Captain Philipps. Some solid performances from the rest of the cast as well. I feel this film is a bit underrated in terms of the exposure and accolades it got.

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Dramatization of real Somali pirates hijacking the first American ship in 200 years.

TxMike2 February 2014

Warning: Spoilers

This is based on real events just a few years ago. Tom Hanks is Captain Richard Phillips, who travels to the middle east to take a fully-loaded cargo ship to an African port. They must pass through international waters off the Somali coast, they are aware of the inherent danger, they are prepared, they have drills, they feel they can ward off any pirate hijacking attempt.

But as they get going radar picks up a couple of boats headed in their direction. They can't be sure, but they suspect a hijacking attempt, they secure the ship, they contact international authorities.

The main pirate is played by Barkhad Abdi as Muse. He has three others, and they are determined to get this ship. Their goal is to capture it and the crew and then hold it for ransom. They allude to the insurance man coming with bags of money, millions of dollars.

The movie is extremely well made, the actors are very authentic in their roles. Hanks of course turns in his usual award-worthy performance, it remains to be seen if he in fact will win any.

Quite a good, exciting, gripping movie.

SPOILERS: As we know from the news Muse was captured as the four pirates tried using the rather slow cargo ship's escape pod to get to Somalia, with Cpt Phillips as a hostage. American military ships, helicopters, and Navy Seals showed up, Muse ended up in captivity, the other 3 pirates were killed by sharpshooters, through the escape pod's windows, and Cpt Phillips was rescued relatively unharmed, just bruised and in shock from his near brush with death. Muse was brought to the USA, tried, convicted, and now is in prison. After about a year Cpt Phillips returned to the sea.

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3/10

Greengrass Struggles Aboard the MSV Maersk Alabama

p-stepien6 January 2014

Paul Greengrass of Bourne fame ventures into the semi-true story of Captain Richard Phillips and his encounter with the not-so-bloody not-so-terrifying pirates of the Somalian coast. When the MSV Maersk Alabama, loaded with food for the poor, starving children of Africa (rolleyes), embarks onto its course to the port of Mombasa from the Oman coastline, they are full aware of the dangers posed by pirate activity in the area. With Somalian kidnapping on the rise, the loaded cargo ship is but another prey for the rag-tag band of yellow-toothed AK47-wielding outlaws. Normally a crew would back down and hand over the ship peacefully, but not this yippee ki yay band of die hards (with glass traps to boot). Led by the scrawny Muse (Barkhad Abdi) this band of hijackers has met their match!!!

Achingly overwrought "Captain Phillips" intends to thrill, together with manipulative background music attempting to heighten the tension, where there is none to behold. Somehow, most people seem to have fallen into the trap set up by Tom Hanks and Greengrass' shaky cam, but when the foursome of motley pirates are set to collide with the navy and seals the attempt to keep tension high is as ludicrous as the outcome is inevitable. The fearless Somalian fishermen-turned outlaws versus the entire might of US military excellence - never has an action thriller been so lopsided in favour of the so-called 'good guys'. This is one movie where I actually found myself rooting for the 'bad guys', despite Greengrass's best intentions to have Phillips and the overbearing force of the US Navy being perceived positively.

Riddled with unnecessary focus on detail the movie irritates with its trite dialogue, often inserted to add some skin-deep expansion on the plight of Somalia, but never offering any attempt to flesh out any of the characters. Lacking any meaty commentary Greengrass basically offers a straight up action film, which however lacks the ingredients to make it interesting. The conclusion is foregone from the outset and the lack of depth fails to really emotionally involve with anyone. With the story basically devoid of tension from mid-way (when the terrorist kidnap Captain Phillips and use an escape pod to head for the mainland), the last hour is overbearing to the point of excruciating cries for the story to just end. The realistic fly-on-the-wall never really helps, as it struggles to imbue a sense of purpose of proceedings, making you almost wish for the crew to just dump Captain Phillips in the water, so the movie will finally end.

With an overwhelming sense of patronisation of the plight of Somalians, "Captain Phillips" also barely treads on the right side of the moral landscape. Not to say that Somali pirates are justified or noble, but the story has been literally whitewashed with the fearless 'whites' saving the day and outsmarting their opposition (I believe not a single talking part from the 'good side' was offered to a coloured person). The "Smiling Pirate" Muse has been vilified, not one mention being made of him actually being underage, with absolutely no focus being placed on 'his side of the story', apart from some banal shopworn tag-lines about his fisherman roots. The beginning was actually promising, when Muse was introduced, but soon focus shifts away from him and suddenly we become overpowered by American patriotism coupled with overblown music intended to force a sense of tension. Single lines of dialogue are afforded to wider ranging issues with Rich Phillips supplying an opening comment about the rat-race juxtaposed with the conditions of life of ordinary Somalians one of the few high points of the drama. Apart from that its an pompous mess of action overly focused on the title character and his emotional responses than to actually posing any serious questions.

Tom Hanks acts his heart out, but with such a divisory persona it's hard to really connect with him. The best acting is therefore on the side of the worn Somalian naturals like Abdi, who deserves Oscar recognition much more than Hanks. Nonetheless, the secondary cast of the cargo ship crew was mostly terrible and laughable in their execution, offering a few hardy laughs with their picturesque poses and worried mimicry.

Within the cascading amount of Somali pirate movies, this is by far the worst. "A Hijacking" is hardly a great movie, but shows how deficient Greengrass's storytelling is. Just around the corner: "Fighting without Nets" will premiere at Sundance and hopefully present a movie with more than one layer to it.

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