Rent Captain Phillips (2013)
4.0 of 5 from 1547 ratings
2h 9min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Captain Phillips is a multi-layered examination of the true story of the 2009 hijacking of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates. Based on a true story, the film focuses on the Alabama's commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) and the Somali pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), who takes him hostage. The two men are set on an unstoppable collision course when Muse and his crew target Phillips' unarmed ship; in the ensuing standoff, both men will find themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control.
- Actors:
- Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Catherine Keener, Faysal Ahmed, Mahat M. Ali, Michael Chernus, David Warshofsky, Corey Johnson, Chris Mulkey, Yul Vazquez, Max Martini, Omar Berdouni, Mohamed Ali, Issak Farah Samatar, Thomas Grube, Mark Holden, San Shella, Terence Anderson, Marc Anwar
- Directors:
- Paul Greengrass
- Producers:
- Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, Scott Rudin
- Writers:
- Billy Ray, Richard Phillips
- Others:
- Mark Taylor, Chris Munro, Barry Ackroyd, Christopher Rouse, Henry Jackman, Chris Burdon, Mike Prestwood-Smith, Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith and Chris Munro
- Studio:
- Sony
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Drama
- Collections:
- 2014, A Brief History of Ships in Film: From Sailing to , Award Winners, CinemaParadiso.co.uk Through Time, Getting to Know :Tom Hanks, Getting to Know..., The Biggest Oscar Snubs: Part 2, A Brief History of Film..., Top Films
- Awards:
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 07/02/2014
- Run Time:
- 134 minutes
- Languages:
- English Audio Description Dolby Digital 5.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- Danish, English, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, Hindi, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.40:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Commentary with Director Paul Greengrass
- Capturing Captain Phillips - 58 minutes of in-depth behind-the-scenes featurettes on making the acclaimed film
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- Coming soon
- Run Time:
- 134 minutes
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Reviews (17) of Captain Phillips
5* For a Great, True Action Drama - Captain Phillips review by CP Customer
I am not usually a fan of action films, or of Tom Hanks, however, I was intrigued by this story, based on true events.
This was a thrilling, enthralling tale of modern day piracy and the strenght and will of the crew who were set upon whilst passing by (not through) Somali waters. Hanks is great and showed some of the acting gumption of his Chuck Noland role in Castaway!
Barkhad Abdi, who plays the role of Muse (main pirate) is amazing and for which he deservedly won a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination. His inexperience adds to the tension and creates a real sense that anything could happen.
What really stood out for me was the desperation in Somalia, a country with no leadership or government, where power is violence, guns and brutality. The pirates are not rich, those who abuse them and force them to 'work' are! One part of the film said it all, Muse tells Cpn Phillips that the previous year they took a Greek ship and made 6 million dollars. Phillips replies
"6 million dollars? So what are you doing here?"
Thoroughly enjoyable and I was gripped all the way through, which surprised me (and my Husband)!
3 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
Good film - but it gives off more than a whiff of Hollywood drama - Captain Phillips review by RP
I have always found Tom Hanks to be a 'wooden' actor, but here he plays his role excellently as Captain Richard Phillips of the container ship Maersk Alabama as it is hijacked by Somali pirates. The film is long - overlong - and tense; but then it descends into Hollywood farce as seemingly the entire might of the US Navy is deployed to rescue them.
I couldn't help but contrast this with the Danish film 'A Hijacking' which tells a similar tale of a merchant ship attacked by Somali pirates - far more restrained, more tense, and far more gritty and down to earth. And there's no last minute rescue by the US Navy either...
Perhaps the best thing about 'Captain Phillips' is that it attempts to give some insight into the lives and motives of the pirates and does this fairly well.
I enjoyed it, but it's seriously overlong and while it may be based on a true story it gives off more than a whiff of Hollywood drama.
3/5 stars. And for the record, I rated 'A Hijacking' as 5/5 stars.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
taut suspenseful classic - Captain Phillips review by PC
I have never really been a fan of Paul Greengrass films, feeling they lack emotion and the whole handheld camera thing gives me a bit of a headache. However, Captain Phillips grips from the start and does not let go until the emotional punhc at the end. Some people appear to be criticising aspects of the story, despite them being true. Surely they are only showing what happened, including the intervention of the US Navy. Really gripping and one that will linger after the film has ended.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
Critic review
Captain Phillips review by Alyse Garner - Cinema Paradiso
Although Captain Phillips is based on a true story there is a lot that feels fabricated and considering the reaction the crew of the ship had to the film, I’d wager an awful lot of it is. However as a fiction the film is gripping with it leaving you on the edge of your seat for almost the entire second half. This unrelenting torment for the crew and the viewers doesn’t make the film as enjoyable as you might think though.
Following the story of Rich Phillips (Tom Hanks), the captain of a shipping vessel that finds itself under attack by Somali pirates, the film tells the harrowing story of survival for Rich and his crew. As they try to keep themselves safe they also must protect their ship and impede the pirates as they try to take the ship back to Somali shores. a place that could spell the end for some of the people onboard.
Filmed in a very similar style to director Paul Greengrass’ Bourne films, the story of this impressive man is full of rich detail as the documentary style adds to the experience. The film, edited by Greengrass’ go to editor Christopher Rouse, is frenetic, filled with information you can only take in on a second watch. Deeply political but never outright opinionated, the film tells a personal story with an eye for the shocking parts of this story.
Hanks is the perfect Phillips, a stern workman respected but rarely liked as he leads his crew through arguably the worst experience of their lives. Clever and cautious, Phillips is an intelligent mans action hero, an everyman full of fear and dread but capable of great acts of courage. Hanks is rarely this good these days, bogged down with bad Dan Brown adaptations, but between this years Cloud Atlas and his performance as the titular captain it feels as though Hanks is having a resurgence.
However the film drags on for much longer than it should, its over 45 minutes too long as this tense hostage situation shifts and changes until the action ceases to a halt as most of the film's major characters get locked in the same confined space together for the remainder. That being said I advise staying all the way to the end for an absolutely gut wrenching moment played to perfection as the film reminds us that at his core Captain Phillips is above all else. human.
Contributed by George Hooper