Exceptionally effective real-life thriller

Rating: 9/10 (22 February 2016)

Hollywood is often accused of providing only shallow entertainment and not making enough films about important issues or watering them down. I don't share that point of view. It's business, of course, and the masses demand escapism, but there has always been a deliberate effort to go beyond that from time to time and that effort alone deserves appreciation. Many deep, meaningful films have emerged from Hollywood during its history, encompassing diverse important themes ranging from the very personal to the very political. Captain Phillips is one of them, and an exceptionally well-made one at that.
Paul Greengrass has already proved with Bloody Sunday and United 93 that he is a master of real-life dramatisations, and Captain Phillips, telling the story of the hijacking of a container ship by Somali pirates and the ensuing hostage crisis, may very well be his best film yet. It is an incredibly intense, suspenseful thriller with impeccable performances from both Tom Hanks (in the title role) and Barkhad Abdi (the leader of the pirates). In the opening sequences, Greengrass masterfully builds up the ominous anticipation, just as he did in United 93. The film grabs your attention from the get-go and glues you to your seat until the very end. There are no unnecessary dialogues, additions or embellishments, and no issues are dumbed down here. The story is told in a highly effective, economical, documentary style, and the focus is on the motives and emotional reactions of the people involved so that you can truly feel and understand what they were going through.
Captain Phillips deserved all six Oscar nominations. One of the best films of the decade.