Review of Captain Phillips (2013) by Foxgrove — 31 Oct 2013

Emotions run high in this piracy adventure which is gripping from beginning to end. It is also a much better film than the trailer marketing it suggests. I have always been rather irritated by the Tom Hanks' movie star persona, all saccharine and beaming smiles, and his choice of films are invariably of a very conventional or commercial nature (or both!) adding weight to one's off screen impression of him. In his roles, though, he is usually totally believable and rarely gives a bad performance. His Captain Phillips must rank as one of his best. For the most part it is understated and, unusually for a Hanks turn, he blends in to the ensemble rather than standing out as the obvious star.

Director Paul Greengrass keeps the action up close for the most part creating an atmosphere of claustrophobic desperation. He is aided no end by some stunning hand held camera shots with positioning and angles that truly add to the tension. Even when scenes are in darkness or low light the events happening on screen are clearly depicted, unlike in similar situations in many films where you just don't know what's going on because the cinematography is so poor. The editing too is just dazzlingly brilliant and provides the movie with its rapid heart beat.

The screenplay raises issues on the age of the hijackers and the fac that these 'terrorists' are in fact fishermen who have had to resort to piracy due to the fact that the western world have over fished the seas. However, it counter balances this particular comment by having Tom Hanks' character state at one point 'You're not a fisherman!' when one of the hijackers violently holds a gun to his forehead. The screenplay may have wanted to appear balanced but I personally know which side I'm on. In the end it is the responsibility of individual governments to combat piracy. As they say prevention is better than cure. It is incredible to me that governments will do anything in any other situation to prevent acts of terrorism these days. However, in this known problematic area where the evil flourishes man made laws, I believe, don't allow ships to have the proper security and weaponry to defend themselves against such acts. This is not only costly in all ways, but demonstrates stupidity in an extreme form.