Six Oscar nominations, a superb director and one incredibly tense ending.
As the credits role on Captain Phillips, we won’t blame you if you happen to feel like an elephant has just stamped on your chest. While this isn’t the immediate reaction that most people will experience after finishing a movie, it’s perfectly apt with Paul Greengrass’ superb biographical survival thriller.
If you haven’t seen it yet then you’re in for a treat because it’s inspired by the true story of the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, an incident during which merchant mariner Captain Richard Phillips was taken hostage by Somalian pirates in the Indian Ocean.
Following his work on the beloved Jason Bourne franchise, plenty of people will already be familiar with Greengrass’ kinetic visual style and his ability to balance plot, character and action.
The director does all of this with aplomb in Captain Phillips, but the film also feels like it’s paying homage to some of his ‘smaller’ features.
While he might be more famous for his work behind the camera on the Bourne franchise, Greengrass has also directed some incredibly good dramas that are inspired by real-life events, the most notable being United 93 and Bloody Sunday. Both of these films rely heavily on a documentary aesthetic that makes the audience feel like they’re fully immersed in the story, Captain Phillips is the same.
Yes, the maritime drama does have a genuine Hollywood star with Tom Hanks, but this is still grandiose film-making that somehow manages to remain intimate, gripping and incredibly claustrophobic. Christ, does it feel claustrophobic.
Trust us, you’ll have no fingernails left to chew on as the final scenes unfold.
The film was nominated for six Oscars (Best Picture, Supporting Actor and Adapted Screenplay being the main ones) and if you’re looking for something to watch that’s intense, enjoyable and emotionally complex, this is essential Netflix viewing.
Here’s a look.
