There are
a lot of dangerous jobs out there, but few would consider being captain of a
cargo ship as one of them. Usually as a captain you just make sure your ship
gets from point A to point B with no trouble. That is easier said than done
sometimes, because trouble can find you. Most of the time it is in the form of
storms, but there is also the threat of pirates, and not the “Ho ho and a
bottle of rum” kind. In the last couple of years pirates from countries like
Somali have attacked cargo ships off the African coast, all in the name of
profit. This story is about how one captain put himself first to save his crew.
Captain
Phillips (Tom Hanks) has been around the block in the shipping business. He and
his crew know the dangers of the waters they are in and signed up for it.
Everything starts off normally and the crew heads for their destination not
knowing what lies ahead of them. That changes when Captain Phillips notices two
blips on the radar that are closing in on his ship. Sensing trouble Phillips
calls his situation in with hopes that if something does happen, someone will
come to his ships rescue. The two blips are two boats with armed Somali pirates
lead by Muse (Barkhad Abdi), which are after the reward for the captured ship.
Phillips must find an away to keep the pirate off his ship, but when he fails
at that, he must keep his crew safe, what happens next will leave you
breathless.
Most people
will maybe vaguely remember this story that happened in 2009, but in the 24
hour news world, it would be easy to forget. For those who do remember the
story or read the novel Billy Ray’s screenplay is based off of, it doesn't really matter. I say that because just like last year’s “Zero Dark Thirty”,
knowing the outcome does nothing to lessen the suspense. The last thirty
minutes of “Captain Phillips” is as tense and full of great storytelling you
have ever seen on the big screen. Paul
Greengrass does a masterful job of directing a story that builds tension with
very little action. As good as the story and direction are, “Captain Phillips”
would be nothing without its two leads. Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips is just
simply amazing, and may have just delivered one of his finest performances. It
is impossible to not think that this role was made for him and you would think
playing opposite of him would be hard to match. Barkhad Abdi as Muse never
wilts under Hank’s performance, but instead shines in his first acting role.
“Captain Phillips” is a fantastic movie and one that will easily finish among
the year’s best. I think the hardest stories to tell are the ones that people
already know how it ends, especially in a world where it is ok to fast forward
to the end. Well I know how this story ends, and trust me when I say, this is
one that you will want to sit through.
Brian Taylor
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