A New Classic and Hanks at HIs Very Best

Rating: 10/10 (13 October 2013)

2013 is beginning to look a lot like 1939, a year full of films that will live on as classics. In spite of all the duds and overpraised movies that we have seen, a certain domestic comes to mind... We have seen some excellent movie making, sometimes a week after another. Here is the real life ordeal of a man who must confront death face to face, endure major physical and psychological trauma under very dangerous circumstances. One couldn't imagine Tom Hanks to give such a performance at this stage of his career, but he manages to surpass most of the work he has done before, and that's quite an achievement.
Captain Phillips and his crew fall victim to a group of desperate pirates near the coast of Africa. This group's enterprise at its best clumsy, and we know things will not turn out very well. The Somalians look famished, desperate, fearful, and hungry for some type of financial sustenance. Their existence is at the mercy of crime lords who constantly abuse them and demand more and more from people who are barely surviving. It's hard not to pity them, but it's also hard not to feel empathy for anyone portrayed by Hanks, and from his early scenes, this character carries with him a strong sense of decency and fairness. It's almost impossible to not feel his rights have been compromised by society's screwed social and economic woes.
Greengrass keeps the reins tight throughout most of the film, with the help of hand held cameras, some marvelous editing, and spare background music. Here it all depends on the performances, the direction, the way nothing relies on posturing and lethargic storytelling. Here the tension never lags, the film is saturated with emotions that have us involved. Every word counts, every turn is relevant. There is no wasted minute.
Hanks is present in every frame of the film, and we can see how good he is at portraying intelligence, sympathy, and a little bit of duplicity as he tries to find a way to save himself and his crew. It almost works most of the time, but even he can't foretell what surprises might come his way. He survives because he is both lucky and resourceful, and from the amazing last fifteen minutes of his performance, one might even believe that he didn't realize how close he was to dying.
It's hard not to be impressed by the many layers of his performance, and I am still wondering where a double was used, particularly in the underwater scenes. I wouldn't be surprised if Hanks didn't do that himself. Much credit for the consistency of the performance should also go to the actors playing the Somalians. They are not simple sketches. They look and act like real people, people at the end of their ropes, searching for a way out, but they do know they can't escape their fates. It's not when, but how they will finally succumb, and it's heartbreaking to see their demise.
There will be plenty of talk about the last fifteen minutes of the movie, a departure from the typical movie ending. Here a human being is portrayed very realistically, and Hanks will no doubt be rewarded for his astonishing work here. He has kept our attention for nearly two hours, but what he does at the end is unbelievable. You will probably feel every ounce of emotion as he acts his heart out. Here is a master at work.
"Captain Phillips" deserves to be seen, studied, and admired. It showcases the best work by many in an industry that keeps challenging us with disappointments and too many gimmicks. In the end, it's a good source material, a good adaptation, and the best talent all together that prove that there is still room for much wonder in the Silver Screen.