Tom Hanks is
back at sea and this time he has bigger problems than losing his pet
volleyball.
Hanks plays Richard Phillips, Captain of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama which was
hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. The screenplay was adapted from Phillips’ memoir A Captains Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea.
Director Paul Greengrass brings this story to life in vivid fashion using handheld
camera work to perfection. The mounting sense of tension as the events unfold
is truly immersive. I was both relieved and impressed as the film moved on that
the shaky cam never felt like a gimmick.
Tom Hanks
delivers one of the best performances of his career, understated yet powerful
as he brings Phillips to life on the screen, showing us the courage of an
average man that finds himself and his crew in the worst situation they could
imagine. I have a feeling we will be hearing the name Tom Hanks a lot during
award season. Perhaps even more impressive though is Barkhad Abdi, who plays
Muse, the leader of the band of pirates who have taken control of the Alabama.
I was shocked to find myself with a sense of sympathy for Muse and his crew as
we come to learn that these men have few options and nothing to lose.
Greengrass deserves credit for showing a glimpse in to the Somali culture that
drives the pirates to sea. Adbi delivers a powerhouse of a performance, showing
Muse to be determined, desperate, terrifying and most surprisingly of all
human. I never thought going in that I would feel an odd sense of empathy for
the ‘bad guys’ but that is exactly what happens.
