Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Captain Phillips (2013)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Catherine Keener, Michael Chernus, Max Martini, David Warshofsky, Yul Vazquez
Director:
Paul Greengrass
Synopsis:
Tom Hanks stars as Captain Richard Phillips, a merchant mariner captain
of the shipping vessel Maersk Alabama (MA). This movie is a portrayal of the
true story in this hijacking, which occurred in April of 2009. The ship was
boarded by Somali pirates and taken for ransom. However, the crew fights back
and attempt to outsmart their captors. Capt. Phillips is shown to be the hero
during the entire ordeal and comes out the victor in the end, with the
militaristic assistance of the U.S. Navy.
Reviewer’s
Rating: 4/5 reels
Review:
In it’s entirety, the thriller, Captain Phillips will have you gripping
your seat, desperately wanting to know what will happen next. Constant story
flow without a break in suspense will only keep you guessing. The music
composition is fabulous and only attunes the viewer’s anticipatory stress
level, therefore making the experience even more thrilling.
Casting was done superbly. According to IMDb,
the Somali actors chosen to portray the pirates in the film were first timers,
literally plucked off the street. For first time acting, they did a wonderful
job. Tom Hanks, of course, pulls out incredible emotion from his position as
Captain of the Maersk Alabama, as well as its crew. Hanks presented his
character without inhibition and truly portrayed the raw emotions that could
have played out during Richard Phillips’ real life experience.
The MA crewmembers were well chosen, and
accurately representing America’s diverse workforce, even on the high seas. I
was also impressed with the casting of the Naval Crews and SEAL team. I am a
member of the military myself, and the film’s crew’s portrayal and
representation of these naval servicemen was very accurate. There is no doubt
that this film garnered permission from the U.S. Navy to use one of its Destroyers
to represent the U.S.S. Bainbridge.
The filming of this movie in the ‘shaky’
camera technique was actually done tactfully. There wasn’t too much to make you
nauseated, and it allowed you to focus on the storyline. It was a perfect blend
of reality and the stereotypical camera angles and shots. The suaveness of the
images taken through the lens comes out magnificently, lending a deeper
perspective on the emotions, thoughts, and views of the individual characters
portrayed in the film.
I would make the claim that this film is not
entirely accurate, from the perspective of filmmakers; a movie isn’t always an
accurate representation of just about anything. There will always be
shortcomings or advantageous avoidances in a storyline to make the film work.
It claims that real life crewmembers of MA are suing the shipping line for
emotional and physical harm. And because this is America, people can sue for
whatever the heck they want. I suspect a morally stagnate and polarizing crew
that does not hold on to an entirely true form of common sense, according to
real life reports.
Overall, this piece of historical cinema was
excellent, taking your mind through the powerful emotions and thought process
of a Captain desiring to protect his crew from the threat of Somali Pirates. No
one will walk away after viewing this film disappointed. Instead, you will be
motivated and mindful towards the formidable service that our military provides
to protect all American citizens from harm around the globe, accomplishing whatever
it may take. You have my word.
By: Dan
Mitchell
