Captain Phillips

Cast of Characters:

Captain Richard Phillips - Tom Hanks

Muse - Barkhad Abdi

Director - Paul Greengrass

Screenplay - Billy Ray

Based upon the book A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty

Rated PG-13 for sustained intense sequences of menace, some violence with bloody images and for substance abuse

      Academy Award winner Tom Hanks takes on the role of real life merchant mariner Captain Richard Phillips in Paul Greengrass's Captain Phillips, based on the Maersk Alabama hijacking of 2009.

      Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) leads the crew of the American container ship Maersk Alabama. In April of 2009, 145 miles off the coast of Somalia, Captain Phillips and his crew were attacked and hijacked by an armed band of Somali pirates, led by "Muse" (Barkhad Abdi).

      With the Navy SEALs alerted and on their way to put an end to the situation, it is up to Captain Phillips beforehand to ensure not only his safety, but more importantly, the safety of his crewmen.

      Having won two Best Actor Oscars, in back to back years, almost twenty years ago, Tom Hanks is one of the greatest living actors we have today. That said, the past ten years have been somewhat on and off for him. Pardon the pun, but Captain Phillips rights that ship with a physically demanding performance by Hanks that proves to be his best work since Larry Crowne... Whoops, I'm sorry. I have a bit of Tourette's where I just blurt out phrases that make no sense. I meant to say Cast Away. Whether it's a simple conversation about the kids with his wife (a cameo appearance from Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener) at the beginning, overseeing his crew, or trying to negotiate with the Somali pirates, there wasn't a moment Hanks is onscreen where I wasn't reminded why he's a multiple Oscar winner and why there's a good chance he may be adding another Best Actor nomination come next year. We all expect this from Hanks, but the real surprise is Barkhad Abdi, who is absolutely brilliant as the head pirate Muse. I've never heard of this guy before this movie; in fact, I don't think anyone has, but what a hell of an entrance he makes. Kudos to casting director Francine Maisler for going the unknown route and making such great casting choices for the pirates. It's one thing to give a great debut performance, but to do that going head to head with Tom Hanks, in intimidating fashion no less, for most of the movie? It's superb work from Abdi that's strong enough to merit Best Supporting Actor consideration. Writer Billy Ray doesn't just give us cardboard cutout "villains". We see their situation as well. We never in the slightest feel any sympathy for these criminals, nor should we, but we still see and understand why they're all desperately taking the last resort. As for director Paul Greengrass, I've been impressed with most of his works (The Green Zone was just okay). He's obviously well known for popularizing the "shaky-cam" technique, a double-edged sword in that it worked great for the Bourne films, but dammit, now every action film director wants to use it and it has definitely worn out its welcome. Thankfully, Greengrass ditches that technique here, for the most part, and delivers the intensity through the story and the performances. It's smart and strongly paced direction from him that's just shy of what he brought to United 93, but in some ways, better than the Bourne films.

      Whether you're familiar with these events that took place four years ago or not, this is a well written, smartly directed, and superbly acted pulse-pounding thriller that's able to keep you on the edge of your seat, and like United 93 before it, is still able to handle the topic with respect. The climactic showdown with the SEALs will certainly leave you emotionally drained and those final moments with Hanks shows you why he's one of the best. I give Captain Phillips an A (★★★★).