Movie Review: Captain Phillips (2013)
Written by Anthony Sargon
The story of Captain Phillips' capture by a group of Somali pirates has been covered extensively in the news. One thing that always stood out in the coverage was Phillips' insistence that he was no hero; he merely tried to get the pirates off the ship and got captured in the process. "Captain Phillips" works because it doesn't turn the character into some fictional hero, but instead gives us an authentic look into what it may have been like to be in his shoes. It has a few flaws, but it's a thrilling ride nonetheless.
Like I mentioned above, the movie revolves around the true story of Captain Richard Phillips, who was captured by Somali pirates in 2009 after they boarded his cargo ship, the Maersk Alabama. While trying to get the pirates off the ship without harming any crew members, Phillips is taken hostage by the pirates in a life boat, and it's up to the US military to get him out safely before it's too late.
Although the film has a few issues that keep it from being truly great, it’s still a very raw and suspenseful film, and you can thank Paul Greengrass’s direction, as well as Tom Hanks’ amazing performance for that. Tom Hanks is my favorite actor, and he delivers another powerhouse performance as Captain Phillips. The film’s last few minutes had me fighting back tears, and it’s all because of Mr. Hanks’ ability to lose himself in the role and portray raw human emotions.
Paul Greengrass does a great job, although there is a little bit too much shaky cam for my taste. At least it’s not a straight-up action movie where that could have been a serious problem.
The film does begin to test your patience once it reaches its second half. Things significantly slow down, and the proceedings basically consist of Captain Phillips and four pirates trapped on the life boat, which would be fine if the pirates had more than four unique lines of dialogue that they repeated over and over again.
The pace certainly picks up near the end though, and Greengrass delivers a spectacular finale, one very reminiscent of the "Zero Dark Thirty" climax, which is a very big compliment.
Anthony's Verdict:
It may not be perfect, but "Captain Phillips" has enough going for it to warrant a strong recommendation. Tom Hanks gives his best performance in years while Greengrass keeps the proceedings raw and unfiltered, and the final result is great.
Numerical Score: 8/10
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