A Must Watch Film. A Testament to Hanks and Greengrass's Mastery and Another Surprise Performance

Rating: 9/10 (5 December 2013)

Captain Phillips is a biopic based on the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates in 2009, which focuses on the relationship between Richard Phillips and the Somali pirate Captain, Muse. Greengrass has managed to make a film that not only explores the myriad of consequences as a result of globalization but that is also a hair raising thriller. There are very little back stories presented for the two main characters in the film, Captain Philips and the Somali pirate leader. However enough is revealed for both that leaves a sense that both these individuals are just ordinary, normal people and (in the case of Muse) forced to embrace a darker aspect of life which their lifestyle commands. Paul Greengrass manages to capture this very effectively in the opening segments of the film. The movies beginning isn't all too interesting and just aims to establish the lives of both the main characters.
Even before the pirates board the ship there is nerve wracking tension. This whole scene, of the pirates attempting to board the Alabama and the crew fighting back was expertly crafted by Greengrass. The constant suspense and anticipation of whether the captain will manage to evade the pirates yet at the same time knowing that the pirates will eventually succeed. It needn't be mention that Hanks' performance was instrumental in conveying the scenes impact. He brilliantly portrays a balance between a sense of fear but also a veneer of courage by initially dismissing the pirates as harmless, which leads on to the next point. Paul Greengrass cleverly added points in the initial hijack that aimed to bring a false sense of relief to the viewers: the fact that the pirates temporarily retreated, how half were scared off and the water hoses and firepower of the crew apparently managing to hold the pirates at bay. However all this fabricated hope was slowly diminished as the crew and the atmosphere became riddled with panic and the obviously when the pirates attach the ladder to the side of the ship, a moment with a lot of gravity behind it.
The leader is immediately established as Muse by his control over his comrades and his more developed command of English. Both the title of the film and the first forty five minutes after the initial hijack suggest that the film is just about a captain and his crew fighting against a group of ruthless pirates. During the second half, however, it is understood that the pirates are as much as the victims as are the crew and captain Phillips and all that distinguishes them is their weapons, which are equally as unless because they are fighting an unknown enemy. This unseen adversary is the mind games and anxiety. The anxiety is the type of the thrill most common in the film. The pirates are faced with complicated decision, yet have awareness of naivety. However none of this is more troubling for Muse, played brilliantly by Barkhad Abdi. He is a very complex character and like Hanks, Abdi successfully finds a glance between a ruthless and threatening pirate but also being a sympathetic and surprisingly charismatic individual. That's what made his character so effective. No matter how vicious he seemed, he managed to convey the idea that Muse was just as human as everyone else. All this and the relationship between the captain and muse is explored in the late second half of the film whilst they are in the submarine and it is also where their relationship breaks down. Muse is pressured by his comrades, most notably Bilal, played by Barkhad Abdirahman, who also threatens Muse's leadership. During this segment of the film the tension is almost electric. The relationship between Phillips and the rest of the pirates begins to become strained and there is a constant fear as to whether Phillips will survive the ordeal. This is what makes the film so astonishing. The anticipation of what the pirates will or won't do and not knowing what will happen as a result of these actions. It also during this scene where the humanity of all the pirates, most notably Muse is established. There is a scene where Muse admits he has no choice at what he is doing and the desperation in his voice and actions indicates a much more profound and humane character of Muse.
The Navy seals involvement also provided tension and also more mind games: mostly who was going to be fooled by whose tricks and this is left to the very end. It also highlighted the reliance of the hostages on the Navy seals. Greengrass manages to create a portrait of the pirates as being cornered animals and although the question was no longer will the pirates be caught but when, it left a feeling of an imminent outburst by the pirates in a last attempt ditch attempt to make it out.
Overall Captain Phillips is a sophisticated and brilliant film. The character development and exploration was expertly handled and executed and the performances of Hanks and Abdi combined with the veteran techniques of Paul Greengrass to create endless tension and excitement equal an almost flawless piece of work. Greengrass also does well at grounding the film, in that it doesn't glorify or idealize the hero or exaggerate the villainy and evil of the antagonists but instead states that they are just individuals like you and me. However, if I had to pick one flaw in the film it was that the tension between Bilal and Muse was not delved into further but this was a minor element to an otherwise great movie.