When the freight ship of Captain Phillips (Tom Hanks) is boarded by armed pirates, he and his crew must fight for their very survival.
Captain Phillips is faced with the responsibility of protecting his crew and his own conflicting will to live. He handles the situation impressively well, yet not all his decisions were completely rational.
An in depth look into the motives of the pirates creates a dynamic view of the antagonists. In “Captain Phillips,” two worlds collide creating an atmosphere of apprehension and desperation that will undoubtedly have you on the edge of your seat.
One of the reasons why this movie was so enjoyable was simply because Tom Hanks was in it. Hanks was perfectly casted as the responsible father figure who would do anything to protect his crew.
His performance was impressive, yet equally impressive were the performances of some of the lesser-known actors such as Barkhad Abdi, who played one of the pirates. The acting in Captain Phillips succeeded in making one not only feel bad for the captain, but also pity the pirates.
For those who read about the true events that occurred, this movie may be somewhat disappointing.
The “based on a true story” heading can be misleading. As far as the “true story” goes, the people involved and the fact that the ship was boarded by pirates are basically the only “true” aspects.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a wonderful film that was wonderfully casted. It was somewhat slow-moving, yet that added to the building tension.
I would recommend this movie to Tom Hanks enthusiasts and to those who enjoy suspense.