Captain Phillips
Directed by Paul Greengrass
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
If you’re planning a break from midterms, hit the high seas with Captain Phillips.
Director Paul Greengrass’ film is a breathtaking, heart-pounding adaptation of the true 2009 story of Captain Richard Phillips, whose cargo ship was overthrown by four Somali pirates.
Because of the unusual nature of the threat, Phillips’ (Tom Hanks) pleas for help aren’t taken seriously until it’s too late. Greengrass manages to present both sides of the story, showing the audience both the weaknesses and strengths of the Somali pirates and the U.S. Navy. By the end, your loyalties are surprisingly divided.
Tom Hanks performs brilliantly, commanding the role as Phillips commands his ship. In one particular two-minute scene, he runs through a spectrum of emotions, bringing to life the true shock and vulnerability his character experiences. Hanks is seriously in need of an Oscar for this film.
As for the pirates, Captain Hook’s got nothing on these thugs—they’re motivated, vicious, and vengeful.
Their leader, Muse (newcomer Barkhad Abdi), isn’t simply after money but after power, which he wholeheartedly believes guns can buy. He repeatedly proves that nothing will cause him to back down.
Be warned—the violence in this film is intense, but it only serves Greengrass’ deeper message.
At its core, Captain Phillips isn’t about guns, money, robbery, or fishermen, but politics and the chasm between first and third world countries. As we see Hanks boarding his ship and prepping his crew, Greengrass contrasts this efficiency with the world of Somali fishermen, grasping at the chance to raid the ship and, in turn, escape from the barren wasteland they call home.
This film forces us to ask, in this world, what people are willing to do to have ultimate control and power. What are they willing to sacrifice?
At the end of the day (and the film’s exciting conclusion), we have to wonder—how far would you go to risk everything you believe in, knowing that once you cross that line, you can never go back.
Join Captain Phillips on this exhilarating epic and discover whose side you’re on. This isn’t a movie about good guys and bad guys—or even Americans and terrorists—but humanity as a whole. Even if you don’t know the story behind the headlines, Captain Phillips will leave an imprint on your life.
