This real life tale of courage on the high seas has Tom Hanks at the helm in the titular role
Based on a true story and the book “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs and Dangerous Days at Sea” by Richard Phillips, Captain Phillips is a nuanced, multi-layered portrayal of the 2009 hijacking of the US container ship, Maersk Alabama, by a crew of Somali pirates.
Real Life Courage
Desperate Somali pirates, led by Muse (played by Barkhad Abdi), board Captain Phillips’ (portrayed by the stellar Tom Hanks) ship and take control, holding him hostage.
The series of events that are set in motion reveal the economic divide that ignited them and expose the rift between those who are within the lucrative ebb and flow of international trade and those who are left outside of it.
A Statement on the Times
Director Paul Greengrass is no stranger to documentaries, having directed Bloody Sunday (a 2002 film about a British Army massacre), and Green Zone (about the Iraq War). His research found that the depletion of fish in Somali waters due to industrial overfishing was a contributing factor to Somali piracy.
“The stand-off between Phillips and Muse is a thrilling high seas siege, but one that speaks to the larger forces shaping the world today,” Greengrass says.
Gritty, Realistic Filming
Watch out for the taking of the Alabama, one of the film’s most dramatic scenes, which was done without using Computer Graphics (CG) effects.
“One of the most difficult feats of the entire shoot was… bringing a skiff (small boat) with four actors alongside a moving cargo ship with a tremendous undertow; getting close enough so that they could put the ladder up and execute the boarding manoeuvre… the film gives you the sensation that you really are there, and they are right alongside that ship and going up, because they are,” says Greengrass.
High Tension on the High Seas
Phillips’ first mate, Murphy, and the rest of the crew go into hiding, and they manage to overpower Muse when he is searching the ship alone after his barefooted comrade steps on broken glass. Phillips tries to broker a deal to have the pirates leave their ship with $30,000, but they turn the tables on his crew and take him hostage instead.
A standoff ensues, with Phillips and the pirates fighting for their lives as the US Navy tries to rescue Phillips. This visceral and truthful film is one that will leave its mark on the audience.
Captain Phillips [PG]
Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Barkhad Abdi, Corey Johnson, Max Martini
Genre: Action, Thriller, Non-Fiction
Run Length: 134 min
Release: Nov 14
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