it has tension, it has suspense, and it has Tom Hanks

Rating: 9/10 (12 October 2013)

Captain Philips is one of those films where when the screen goes dark and credits start to roll, you just sit there with your heart still racing, saying wow.. wow. In the style of his other critically acclaimed films like United 93 and Bloody Sunday, Paul Greengrass has done it again, he has given us yet another thrilling, heart wrenching reenactment of a historical event. The camera work, the editing, the acting, everything was top notch. What I noticed from the beginning was how tight the camera work and editing was. The closeness of the camera created the feeling that you were right there with the characters and the editing deserves, at the least, an Oscar nomination.As far as the acting goes,I was beyond impressed. Tom Hanks, in probably one of his best roles to date, took my breath away again.He is the male version of Meryl Streep. He is an acting genius, someone who can take a role and make it human, make it so real and genuine. Throughout the movie, he doesn't have too much of an opportunity to be highly dramatic but still does an amazing job. It's the last 20 minutes or so that truly show his gift, the way he breaks down,the way he just lets out everything he kept in throughout the whole time, is so raw and emotional,I was crying. He has a way of capturing the essence of a normal, every day person, a way of getting in all the little quirks of real people.Barkhad Abdi was a perfect casting choice to play the pirates' leader. He gives a stellar performance,giving many of the scenes tension and an in your face feel, and almost matching up with the skill of Hanks. What also is an intelligent move on Greengrass's part, Just like in United 93, is the use of real people who actually worked those certain jobs (navy seals, medics, etc.) It adds a certain reality to the film and adds believability to the roles.Captain Phillips is tense. It is heart wrenching. It is raw and it is powerful. With it's well executed direction and stellar performances, Captain Phillips is a must see for anyone who appreciates quality cinema and great acting *cough cough*Tom Hanks.