The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.
Greengrass’ ever-probing camerawork lends the film a documentary-like urgency – even if it rarely stops to consider the moral and social implications of piracy. In the end, it’s all about the drama on the high seas.
Unbearably tense.
t’s the surprising simplicity of the film’s final moments that packs the biggest punch as Greengrass and Hanks deliver a masterclass in raw, in-the-moment filmmaking. It’s good as anything either has done and it elevates Captain Phillips to the level of genuine greatness.
Greengrass intimately involves us in these real-life disasters in a way that is utterly rare. A welcome return to the genre by the man behind Bourne.
All the steady work here comes from the two leads, whose transparency and likeability help bulk out underwritten characters. The going gets a bit choppy at times, but Hanks and Abdi still make this a voyage worth taking.
Squeezing every drop of tension from wet-ink recent history, Phillips only falters when making its protagonists mouthpieces in a broader geopolitical debate. Otherwise, it’s full steam ahead to the Oscars.
Both Greengrass and Hanks are on award-deserving form in a riveting, emotionally complex and hugely intelligent dramatisation of a real-life ordeal.
It’s one of the star’s best roles in years even if he is upstaged by a buck-toothed, brilliant newcomer.
The film never quite has the ring of truth.
Greengrass has placed such spatial constrictions on himself that, for all the skill with which Captain Phillips is made, he risks stifling his own drama.
Unbearably tense.
There is a level of artifice in film-making that can’t be removed. But Greengrass’s genius — and that is not too strong a word — is in using it to make a real-life story come alive again.
I can't imagine anyone other than Greengrass handling this material, the story seemingly tailormade for his trademark blend of political clout, dramatic punch, thespian wallop and broad audience appeal. Make sure you allow time for a stiff drink afterwards – you're going to need it.
Familiar territory for British filmmaker Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips is far more successful in terms of authenticity and tension that it is characterisation or depth.
Captain Phillips combines complex issues with Hollywood thrills
Captain Phillips 'no hero' in real life, say ship's crew
General release. Check local listings for show times.