Captain Phillips is a superb new addition to Netflix this month and if you haven't watched it already, you absolutely must for Tom Hanks' powerhouse performance as Captain Richard Phillips, an American merchant mariner who is taken hostage by Somali pirates. Based on a true story, the US container ship Maersk Alabama is hijacked by Somali pirates, led by Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi), on the way to Kenya. The captain and crew soon find themselves at the mercy of the ruthless and violent group as Phillips must use his wits to ensure everyone survives.
Hanks strikes again as the master of biopics in this sublime Hollywood depiction of an everyday man who is thrust into a real-world tragedy. While there isn't any Jason Bourne-style action from director Paul Greengrass, he creates incredible suspense that will have you on the edge of your seat as the terrifying hijacking and hostage scenes unfold. With its shaky handheld camerawork, riveting action and eye-catching characters, Captain Phillips well deserves its 93% Rotten Tomatoes score and definitely sails onto our best Netflix movies list.
Captain Phillips is anchored by Hanks' performance
Hanks is no stranger to portraying real-life people with the likes of Greyhound, Elvis and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood on his acting roster. But his impressive portrayal of Captain Phillips really packed a punch for critics, with Empire writing: "Both Greengrass and Hanks are on award-deserving form in a riveting, emotionally complex and hugely intelligent dramatization of a real-life ordeal."
The Santa Barbara Independent echoed the sentiment in their review: "Hanks summons up a kind of modest mastery here, armed with believability and vulnerability in the lead role of the captain in crisis." While Hanks might be the driving force behind Captain Phillips, first-time actor Abdi also deserves immense praise for his Oscar-nominated role as the fierce leader of the pirates as Screen Daily describes: "His [Hanks] performance is nicely matched by that of Barkhad Abdi, whose quiet intensity suits Muse perfectly."
Overall, Captain Phillips is a memorable real-life drama brimming with hard-hitting tension and emotion.
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