Captain Phillips

Rating: 8/10 (29 October 2013)

From BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, United 93, The Bourne Ultimatum), I had seen the trailer for this film a few times, and then I heard the fact based plot, and I was definitely going to see it when I saw critics give it the full five out of five stars. Based on a true story, the MV (merchant vessel) Maersk Alabama is sailing with its 17,000 metric tons of cargo from an Oman port through the Gulf of Aden to Mombasa, Kenya, and taking command of the container ship is Captain Richard Phillips (BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Tom Hanks) who is ordering security precautions, being wary of pirating off the coast of Somalia. During the journey the crew carry out a necessary training exercise for potential pirate hijacking, but then this becomes a real threat when a suspicious craft is spotted on radar, it appears, after some speeding up and fooling the pirates on the radio, that the skiffs are outrun. However the next day four pirates in a faster skiff, led by Abduwali Muse (BAFTA winning, and Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Barkhad Abdi), return to board the ship, carrying a high ladder, and despite the efforts of the ship crew, using high pressure water hoses and rocket flares, the pirates succeed in boarding, carrying guns they manage to catch Phillips, while the most of the crew hide in the engine room. Muse, who is under orders himself, is planning to ransom the ship in order for the shipping company to make a high insurance money payment, he demands the captain to take them to the engine room, but the crew, who shut down the engine and emergency power, using broken glass and other small tricks manage to overthrow the pirate leader. They attempt to negotiate with the remaining pirates to take a lifeboat and get away with the $30,000 in the safe, but while inside it they launch it with Phillips inside with them, they are now planning a ransom with the ship's captain, the Maersk Alabama follow slowly and call the coastguard to help the situation. Inside the lifeboat tensions run between the pirates as they are running low on khat, lose contact with their mother ship, and the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Bainbridge is intercepting them, more Navy ships arrive, but Muse refuses to surrender having come as far they have, Bainbridge captain Frank Castellano (Yul Vazquez) is doing all to make sure they do not reach the mainland. In the night Phillips make an attempt to escape the boat and swim to the nearest ship, but they cannot take action without identifying him, he surrenders and is taken back by the pirates when shots are fired, and meanwhile a SEAL Team are going to try and take control of the situation, trying to target and shoot the pirates inside the lifeboat. The lifeboat is successfully attached with a towing rope, and Muse agrees to board the Bainbridge, assuming he can negotiate and make ransom demands, back inside the boat agitated pirate Najee (Faysal Ahmed) catches Phillips a goodbye message to his wife, trying to take it they fight, and the pirates plan to execute him, tying him up and blindfolding him. In the end the three SEAL marksman finally manage to target all three pirates inside the lifeboat and have clear shots, they simultaneously kill them, while Muse is in custody and arrested for his piracy crimes, Phillips is shock and cannot stop panicking, having been threatened and faced with death, but safe and sound he shakily thanks his rescuers for saving his life. Also starring Barkhad Abdirahman as Bilal, Mahat M. Ali as Elmi, Michael Chernus as Shane Murphy, Catherine Keener as Andrea Phillips, David Warshofsky as Mike Perry, Corey Johnson as Ken Quinn, Chris Mulkey as John Cronan and Max Martini as SEAL Commander. Hanks gives a fantastic performance as the real life captain put under pressure by threatening invaders, and Abdi who is just as much of a victim in a desperate situation, the growing tension and moments of violence make this powerfully thrilling, and it feels highly authentic, especially the emotional ending with the lead character, a must see drama based on a true story. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, it was nominated the BAFTAs for Best Film, the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for Henry Jackman, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama. Tom Hanks was number 3 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, and he was number 39 on The World's Greatest Actor. Very good!