Review of Captain Phillips (2013) by Amgranados42 — 28 Oct 2013

Being held hostage by a dangerous group of modern-day pirates as they wield automatic weapons is something nobody wants to experience, but Captain Phillips will probably be the closest you’ll get to knowing what it's like.  The film is based on the true story of the brave commander of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama, which was seized in 2009 by a crew of Somali pirates.  The gritty cinematography and the realism of the characters make Captain Phillips one of the best films of the year.

Director Paul Greengrass, who's works include the Bourne sequels and United 93, once again used his infamous shaky-cam techniques to effectively give the feeling of disorientation and boost the intensity of the film. The cinematographer was Barry Ackroyd, who chose to shoot with different film depending on which characters were in the shot. If Hanks or his crew members were in frame, they were shot on 35mm, which produced a higher quality picture with more vivid colors and less of a grainy look. On the other hand, the pirates were shot with 16mm film, giving off a more grainy look with slightly duller color. These contrasts, along with the hand-held camera look and close-up face shots all accumulated to intensify the already horrific situation. Greengrass' cast consisted of almost all no-name actors besides Tom Hanks, who gave a possible oscar-nominating performance as he displayed the bravery of being Richard Phillips, captain of the Maersk Alabama. In order to add to the realism, Greengrass didn't let the pirates and Hanks meet each other until they were on set and about to film. The fear expressed on Hank's face may have also been natural.

The first 20 minutes of the movie was the calm before the storm. Hanks is packing his bags, getting ready to leave his house in Vermont. His wife drives him to the airport, and you can't help but notice how worried and visibly scared she is. Her tears and feelings of uncertainty foreshadow the horrific events that follow. Viewers become emotionally invested knowing the captain has a loving wife back home. Meanwhile, back on the shores of Somalia, a dream-team of pirates is being assembled. Similar to the drafting process of a schoolyard football game, about 8 men are selected from the group, based on strength and determination. The Somalians grab their AK-47s, and climb into their motorized skiffs as they head to sea with only one objective to bring home money. Even though the Somalians are embarking on a journey of crime, all they want is a better life. The contrast of Phillips home-life versus life in Somalia is nothing but saddening. A part of you almost roots for the pirates to return home with their ransom money.

When Hanks first steps foot on the ship, he goes right into captain mode. He immediately starts safety procedures and bosses around his lazy group crew workers. After finishing up his last safety drill, he spots 2 skiffs on his radar, headed his way quickly. One skiff ends up turning around, but the inevitable happens, and the Maersk Alabama is boarded by 4 Somali pirates. As Hanks sends the crew to hide out in the engine room, he does his best to distract the impatient pirates by offering them water and melon slices to snack on. But the leader of the hijackers, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), has had enough, and eventually takes the captain hostage on a small covered lifeboat, while demanding a ransom of millions in exchange for his return.

The claustrophobic lifeboat consisted of Captain Phillips, Muse, and his 3 other helpers the right-hand man, the hothead, and the rookie. While in the lifeboat, Hanks begins to form a relationship with the rookie pirate, who's only 16 years of age and displayed just as much fear as Hanks. Hanks helps the youngster bandage his cut foot and tries to speak with him. He tells the Somalian that he is too young to be hijacking ships. The dynamics of their relationship was interesting. They both secretly helped each other, trying to avoid being caught by the hothead, who never hesitated to scream at Hanks and deliver a pistol-whip to his forehead. As the movie progresses, your concern for the safety and future of the young pirate is right there with your concerns for the captain.

What follows is an intense cat-and-mouse game with the U.S. Navy and the little orange lifeboat, full of failed negotiations and uncertainties. Once the lifeboat is surrounded, it is clear that all 5 men are unsure if they will make it out of there alive. All 130 minutes accumulate to what is one of the most intense movie climaxes you'll see. And Hank's brilliant acting in the last 4 minutes caps the movie with a real, heartfelt ending that everyone must see themselves.