CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

US, 2013, 134 minutes, Colour.
Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener.
Directed by Paul Greengrass.

The Red Sea, the Horn of Africa and the Somali Coast probably seem a long way from most countries unless you live in the Middle East or in the countries of north east Africa. They are often in the headlines, especially with news about pirates.

We are fortunate in 2013 to have two good and solid films about Somali piracy: the Danish film, A Hijacking and the American film, Captain Phillips.

A Hijacking took a storyline of the pirates attacking, taking hold of the ship, keeping the crew hostage over some months while negotiations were conducted between the CEO of the Danish shipping company and a mediator. It was a long haul story. By contrast, Captain Phillips is based on a true story, an act of piracy gone wrong, the captain taken hostage followed by intervention by the American coastguard. Negotiations were minimal.

The trouble with piracy, especially in the popular mentality, is that it takes us back to Treasure Island and Long John Silver or Blackbeard or any of those swashbuckling stories with a kind of Saturday matinee mentality. We could watch the swordfights and the body count lost in another time and place.

21st century pirates are not so romantic in their stories. Rather, we see Somali fishermen, Somali thugs motivated by a mixture of poverty and greed, controlled by the demands of warlords, taking it for granted that they can take up their automatics, board a ship, take over and demands millions of dollars in ransom.

Captain Richard Phillips commanded the first American ship to be attacked by pirates in 200 years. A container ship, with food for deprived peoples of Africa in its cargo, it was boarded by a small group of men. The Captain had protocols in place for such contingencies. There are scenes of tension as the ship is searched and the crew hides. There is a lot of roughhouse with the captors as if they had been watching too many American films.

The Captain deceives the pirates to a certain extent but is taken by them in the ship’s small vehicle and a pursuit begins. The cat and mouse with the pursuers and the pirates comes to a head. Captain Phillips tries to use his wits, not always successfully.

The cast portraying the pirates are convincing, young men with mixed motives, abilities, and attitudes towards the ransom, trying to make do with their botched tactics. But, it is Tom Hanks at the centre of the film, who gives it its focus. Over the decades we have come to expect that Tom Hanks can effortlessly play this kind of role. He has to undergo a lot of physical hardship in this film – and it is interesting that the film goes on after the resolution but spends some time on the Captain’s physical and mental condition and Hanks is persuasive as a courageous person in shock.

Director Paul Greengrass has made three Bourne films as well as on the 9/11 situation with United 93. He adds here to his list of intelligently written action films.


1. Critical acclaim for the film? The work of the director in action films? Working with Tom Hanks and his status, screen presence?

2. An American story, an American perspective? Captain Phillips, his experience at sea? The film based on his book and reminiscences? His work on container ships?

3. The locations, ordinary life in America, the transition to the sea, the Indian Ocean, the container vessels, their interiors, on deck? The raft and its being confined? The hospital area of the ships? The role of the Navy, Naval and military operations? The musical score?

4. The introduction, ordinary life, 21st century, Richard and his wife, their concern about their children, education, ordinary questions, a loving couple?

5. The visuals of the ship, its vastness on deck, the interiors? The variety of the crew? The captain, his skill in management, strong with the crew, but humane? The task to get to Mombasa? The dangers of the Indian Ocean, the Somali pirates, the contents of the ship, especially of food for those in need?

6. The boat approaching the ship, the four men, the details of their boarding, their weapons, the ship being prepared for such an attack, the protocols? The response of the crew? The captain’s assistant? The men concealing themselves, their tactics, turning off the lights, moving from room to room, the continual movement, physical attacks and with weapons?

7. The four Somalis, young? the Somali background, the warlords and their demands, the commands to bring more money, issues of millions, the motivations? Pro-US, anti-US? The leader and his ambition to go to the United States? The edge with the men, tough, the angry man and his outbursts, the risks of violence, the leader in command, the possible deal for $30,000? Not taking it, wanting millions? The leader thinking over the situation, making decisions, the excitable man and his outbursts, the older man with his technical know-how and guiding the raft, the young man and his uncertainty?

8. The captain, talking, the bluff, the risk, tried to keep control, the offer of $30,000, the searching of the vessel, not finding the men?

9. The tactic of breaking the glass, the young men treading on it, vulnerable? The need for treatment? Helping him with his foot? Later, his guarding the captain?

10. The attack, the men unsure, the raft, taking the captain?

11. The raft, claustrophobic, the driver, the young men guarding, the angry man, the leader trying to keep control? the discussions on the plans? Making for Somalia, the Navy in pursuit, the reality or not that the leaders were coming to negotiate?

12. The information about the hijacking going to the United States, to the Navy, the tracking, the time issues, the vessels? The coastguard? The Navy seals? Plans, decisions? The focus on the personnel?

13. Issues of time, on the raft, confined, the captain using his wits, the taunting, the need for water, moving within the space, trying to negotiate? Contact with the ship, the American Navy and the bluff? The captain wanting to pee, going into the water, flailing, under the boat, taken again?

14. The final moves, coming to the raft, the light, the deaths of the men, the capture of the man in charge, his being confined?

15. The leader, in the cell, his ambitions crushed, naive and bewildered?

16. Taking the captain, the review of the tactics and the time taken?

17. The captain in shock, going to the hospital, the after-effects of his ordeal, a sense of realism with these sequences for the film?

18. A true story, the first pirate attack on American vessels for 200 years, the role of the Somali pirates for many years, capturing boats, wanting ransoms? The Americans and rescue?