When we hear the word pirate, the image most of us bring to mind is someone in a billowing white shirt, maybe with a peg leg, or patch over one eye, and almost certainly a sword or cutlass. Maybe we imagine Errol Flynn’s Captain Blood or Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow. Pirates in popular culture seem to belong to a bygone, almost mythical era.
But, modern day piracy is a real and present menace. The issue of piracy on today’s high seas started to get serious attention after William Langewiesche’s explosive 2003 Atlantic Monthly piece Anarchy at Sea. At the time, the focus was South Asia, but within a few years a string of daring seizures, thefts and ransom demands had brought the world’s attention to piracy off the horn of Africa, mostly emanating from the troubled state of Somalia.
Captain Phillips draws together one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, Tom Hanks with one of the best action film directors, Paul Greengrass to tell the true story of one such incident. In 2009 the MV Maersk Alabama was taken by Somali pirates, the first US flagged ship to be highjacked in over 200 years.
With so much of this story being known, or at least relativity obvious from the film’s marketing, the producers really faced a challenge to create an experience able to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
That they manage to do this with complete success is a testament to craft of the whole film-making team. Hanks is well suited to the role of Phillips, a devoted family many eager to do his job well and keep his crew and safe. It’s an outstanding and deeply moving performance from Hanks, who is surrounded by a strong supporting cast, including from Barkhad Abdi as the pirate captain Muse.
And, director Greengrass, is in top form here, working from Billy Ray’s (The Hunger Games, Flightplan) excellent adapted screenplay, based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea. The realistic and intense look of the film comes from Barry Ackroyd’s cinematography (Parkland, The Hurt Locker) and an the drama and tension are sustained by an impressive score from up and coming composer (and Hans Zimmer protégé), Henry Jackman (Wreck-It Ralph).
When Captain Phillips was announced as the opening film for the Tokyo International Film Festival I had my reservations. Was this likely to be a decent film? Yes. Was it a probable crowd pleaser and commercial success? Yes. But, was it going to be a great, festival-worthy film? I wasn’t so sure.
Well, my reservations were totally misplaced. Captain Phillips is a compelling, well paced and thoroughly well made action drama, a solid cinematic experience that carries you effortlessly along its 134 minutes, from a tender opening sequence to a heart-wrenching climax.
In a year of disappointing Hollywood blockbusters, Captain Phillips is a reminder of how good a big film can be when all the technical pieces fall into place in the service of a great story. Not to be missed.
You can also read James’ review of Captain Phillips here.
I am glad to know that the movie can met my expectations and looking forward to watching it. I had faith that Paul Greengrass being behind will make sure to have an intense film, and your review is a good proof.