Film Review: Captain Phillips
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I’ve tried to figure out how to begin this Captain Phillips review for a good minute. I had quippy headlines, opening sentences about my experience, everything. But how does one begin to talk about this film that manages to both be claustrophobic and wide open, emotional yet terse, simple yet complex? It might be best to keep it simple and say that Captain Phillips is one of the best films I’ve seen this year.
For those of you unfamiliar with the true story (like I was when I saw the film), Captain Phillips depicts the 2009 hijacking of the MV Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates and the subsequent rescue attempt of Captain Rich Phillips once the pirates take him hostage for $10 million.
Much more than just a thriller, Captain Phillips is an experience. If just one element of this film had faltered (and one almost did) the movie wouldn’t have worked as well as it did. The one aspect of this film that I was the most unsure about was the screenplay. Would the story remain compelling over a two hour and 25 minute running time? It does for the most part, injecting the movie with enough subtle characterizations and interesting drama. There are some issues, particularly when the military initial join the picture and the pirates take Captain Phillips hostage. Thankfully the script rights itself before it heads into the home stretch.
Guiding this was director Paul Greengrass. Anyone familiar with Greengrass’ earlier films like the Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum or United 93, will know that the man has a gift for intense set pieces and boy does this movie have them. Greengrass fills every frame with tension, building up to an incredible climax. What I liked most about this film is that he tones down his insane shaky cam, instead opting for a more ocean like movement. In turn that helps the viewer get sucked into the tale. By the time the calvary shows up, we already feel one with the ocean and the ramping up of the drama just feels natural. The final rescue attempt is a masterclass in action choreography and I’d love to see Greengrass be noticed for his work on this film.
Sure to be recognized by various awards bodies is one Tom Hanks. My word, the performance he gives in this movie is nothing short of phenomenal. Before we even get to those last 5-10 minutes, Hanks is drawing us in with his everyman charm. It’s not unusual for a Hanks performance to really take you, but there was something about him playing Captain Phillips that really took a hold of me and enabled me to go on this crazy journey. But honestly, everything about Hanks’ performance is sealed in the final moments with that character which are so thoroughly engrossing I couldn’t stop from bawling my eyes out in the theater. Just masterful work from a great actor.
Matching him step for step is Barkhad Abdi who plays Muse, the leader of the Somali pirates. It’s very difficult to shade someone that we immediately root against, but Abdi is more than game for the task. Watching him go from slightly timid complicit man to fully in control pirate back before settling into a morally ambiguous state is a delight to behold.
Captain Phillips is nothing short of a knock out film experience and I found myself reeling by the end. If you’re looking for a film that will engage all of your senses, you should definitely check this one out.
Grade: ****/**** (A)
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