Captain Phillips is based on a non-fiction book written by Captain Richard Phillips and Stephen Talty entitled A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea. It depicts events from April 2009 where a group of four Somali pirates successfully hijack the merchant vessel Maersk Alabama. Captain Phillips (Tom Hanks) and his crew are initially able to outsmart the pirates and keep them from taking lives, but Phillips is eventually taken hostage by the pirates aboard a lifeboat. This triggers a game of moves and counter-moves between the pirates and the US Navy. After a brief setup, Greengrass' film devotes relatively equal time to the action aboard and ship and the hostage situation.
The advertising material markets Captain Phillips as being "From the Director of The Bourne Supremacy," but a better analog may very well be Greengrass' 2006 film United 93. That film established a unique, "you are there" perspective in depicting events from 9/11, and the director achieves similar success with this tale in American history as well. The sense of claustrophobia is undeniable and the threat of death always palpable, whether the situation involves the pirates hunting down Phillips' crew in dank, dark corridors, or the constantly escalating sense of dread aboard the lifeboat. As is the case with a Greengrass film, shaky-cam style is evident, but since this is a film about a battle of wits rather than explosions and fights, the chaotic approach works greatly in its favor.
Captain Phillips doesn't offer as much insight into the socio-economic realities of Somalia as a novel or documentary might, but the few scenes Greengrass displays it speak loudly and lucidly. The two main scenes of setup, one involving a casual conversation between Phillips and his wife about how much tougher the job market is today, and another involving the recruitment of pirates for hijacking jobs, set the tone for what's to come. Later, when Phillips remarks to the pirate leader that there has to be more to life than fishing and stealing, he replies, "Maybe in America, Irish. Maybe in America...." Finally, Captain Phillips addresses Stockholm Syndrome, namely the idea that a captive can develop a meaningful connection with his captors even as he desperately wishes to be rescued. The final scene argues that not only is it possible, but it can prove emotionally devastating.
For the most part, the only actors whose performances matter are Tom Hanks and the four unknowns making their feature debuts as the pirates. Hanks is once again in top form as a very relatable man who acts believably in extraordinary circumstances. Phillips is unarmed and physically outmatched, so he must rely on his guile and smarts to gain the upper hand on his captors. Barkhad Abdi has the most visible secondary role as the pirates' leader, and he's an excellent foil for our protagonist. The lack of experience among all four actors is hardly a drawback. By spending so much time with the established enemies of the conflict, Captain Phillips lets us get to know them as people, and that can't be underestimated in the role it plays in involving us on an emotional level.
Captain Phillips will leave most viewers exhausted. From the first sight of the pirates headed toward the Alabama, the tension never lets up. Again, while the resolution of the movie's main conflict is a matter of historical record, it's quite a treat to absorb all of the details in how it plays out. I'm sure Captain Phillips will play its part in the Oscar race; it's a classic thriller with all of the important elements that helped out not only Argo, but also Zero Dark Thirty as well (the presence of SEALS strengthens the connection with the latter). This is top-notch entertainment that should please just about everyone.
Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
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