Captain Phillips is based on the real events that happened to cargo ship captain Richard Phillips when his vessel is overtaken by Somali pirates. And the events that follow are so unbelievable that it's hard to wrap your mind around the fact that this actually happened. And rather recently too!
Tom Hanks stars as Richard Phillips and I'm just going to say it, this is the best performance I have ever seen Tom Hanks give. No contest. As I said in my Polar Express review, when Tom Hanks is in a movie, it's impossible for me to see anyone but Tom Hanks. What I mean is that no matter how good his performance is, I always see Tom Hanks and never the character he plays. That is quite the opposite here. When the pirates had a gun pointed to his head I didn't see Tom Hanks, I saw Richard Phillips.
Since we're on the topic of powerhouse performances, how about those pirates?! Where the heck did they find these guys? Well it doesn't matter because they were terrific. It was really cool to see unknown actors in large supporting roles. They could have very well chosen some big name actors, but they went the indie route and it most definitely paid off.
Of all the filmmaking gimmicks, shaky cam is arguably the most abused one. The biggest drawback it has is that it makes the action incoherent and annoying. Director Paul Greengrass uses it for his advantage by not only raising the intensity, but by actually making it visible! Yeah, someone who can competently film action. What a concept!
Speaking of intensity, this might be on par with Gravity for the most white-knuckle movie experience of the year. I could not believe how often I found myself biting my nails and holding my breath! The third act was so stressful that it was like the end of Zero Dark Thirty. Come to think of it, Captain Phillips and Zero Dark Thirty are actually rather similar! Both are incredibly intense, showcase terrific lead performances and were realistically crafted by some of Hollywood's most talented filmmakers!
And much like Zero Dark Thirty, the only Oscar it will most likely win will be for Sound Mixing. Stupid Academy. Also, how the heck were both Hanks and Greengrass snubbed this year? On a side note, no love for Monsters U but a nod towards The Croods? And on an even more unrelated note, no Pacific Rim or Man of Steel but the Lone Ranger? I'm getting off track.
As far as flaws go, I didn't really find any other than a few nitpick details. It did feel like it went on for a bit too long even though the runtime was only 2 hours and 14 minutes. I guess that the intensity made the film seem more drawn out that it actually isn't. And in the third act, the intensity became so much that it really wore me out. I'm not sure if that is a pro or a con actually. Regardless, this film is no picnic. But it is a rewarding experience.
Final Report: While anything but pleasant, Captain Phillips is intelligently written, well directed and marvelously acted. With a breakout performance from Barkhad Abdi and a return to form for Tom Hanks.
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