A Must-Watch Thriller

Rating: Null/10 (13 April 2014)

Not too many movies strike a chord with me, make me think and reflect upon the movie for days or weeks after, or even force me to re-watch the movie in the same way that this movie did. "Captain Phillips" is an incredible movie with talented actors and a plot so thrilling that I was literally shaking at times during the film. The suspense that heightened as the movie progressed certainly contributed to the success of this movie and the effect it leaves on the audience.
Tom Hanks once again delivered an exceptional performance as the captain of the ship. I thought his performance particularly excelled at times when the thrill was extremely high, but also in the denouement of the movie, when he was being looked after by a doctor. I would like to name out the actors who played the role of the Somalian pirates, as they all deserve a standing ovation for their contributions to this incredible production: Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed, and Mahat M. Ali. Despite "Captain Phillips" being the first movie they ever played in, these four actors delivered mind-blowing performances. Surprisingly, they knew each other very well before the movie as friends in Minneapolis, and I am really happy that they had the opportunity to co-star with each other in this movie. I do not think that anyone else would have been able to play the role that they pulled off magnificently. And to Barkhad Abdi, wherever you go from now on, you will always be the captain.
What I really loved about this movie was the reflection of reality, as this was a story told by the real Captain Phillips. I feel comfortable watching a movie and knowing that what I see on screen is similar to the actual events. With that in mind, when I reflect on the movie, I am not only reflecting on what I saw on screen, but also on the real-life events. I felt that in the film, the Somalian pirates had a firm goal, which was the reason they decided to invade the ship in the first place. Throughout the film, I saw evidence of the existence of a warm heart that the pirates possessed (it was clearer in some than in others),and they were not as mean as their mission would suggest. However, whenever their goal of acquiring millions of dollars was threatened, they would react strongly.
I am definitely surprised that this movie did not take home an Oscar this year, but not surprised at all that it was nominated for 6 Oscars and not surprised that Barkhad Abdi took home a BAFTA award either. I saw this movie twice, the second time just couple days later, and I even liked it more the second time than I did the first. I would highly recommend this movie. A must-watch thriller bound to stir emotions!