Captain Phillips (Paul Greengrass)

[Lazlo]

IMDb

[Lazlo]

Solid moviemaking with really great performances all around. Part of me wishes it was a little more illuminating on a specific viewpoint or two as it's really just a straightforward recreation of events but maybe that's somehow for the better. Tension is high even knowing the outcome, but is lacking the absolute wrenching grasp of similar films like United 93 or Zero Dark Thirty.

Or maybe Gravity has ruined everything for me from here on out.

[TGM]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying, and wondered throughout if it wouldn't have been a stronger movie if it took that page from Gravity's playbook and didn't jump
POV quite so much.

Still though, really solid movie that pretty much meets expectations. Now then, enjoy your coffee!

[Lazlo]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying, and wondered throughout if it wouldn't have been a stronger movie if it took that page from Gravity's playbook and didn't jump
POV quite so much.

I don't mean sticking to one character's point of view. The story then becomes even more of being stuck in the lifeboat, which strained patience a few times. I mean for the movie to have an opinion, a take on the events beyond just presenting them pretty much as they happened without much commentary. It sets up a basic theme of "times are tough out there for everyone" in the scene where Hanks and Keener drive to the airport, but it's thin and clumsy. Sure, the choreography of portraying the real-life events is stunningly realized, but I wish it amounted to something more meaty than pure reenactment.

Hanks is flat out phenomenal though. [

Show Spoiler

The last scene in the sick bay is a physical and emotional performance unlike anything I've ever seen. An ordinary man finally able to let go of his protective posturing and succumbing to the trauma of his extraordinary circumstances. It shook me to watch.

]

[TGM]

Oh alright, well now I see what you're saying then, lol. And I suppose I can see where you're coming from, though I generally liked the way the movie played out. Going in, I was especially concerned that they would play up the whole "times are tough" thing with the pirates a bit too much, based on the later trailer, but I felt they did a good job of giving enough depth and humanity to the pirates so that we can understand them, without going too far to the point that we're left feeling sorry for them or anything like that, which would've probably annoyed the hell out of me.

And yeah, that stuff at the end really was something else. Hanks was incredible in this movie. Another classic performance from him.

Also, in any event, I wrote up a quick silly little review for this one, so here's that, if anyone's interested.

[Ezee E]

Not sure what to think really. I'm pretty mixed. The emotions that Tom Hanks conveys as Captain Phillips is pretty great, as he remains cool and collected during the whole thing, and then exploding at the very end.

But outside of following the exact details, there's really nothing of value to take from this. Once it gets in the lifeboat, it's sort of just a long haul until we finally get the scene that's desired. Sadly, we never even see the crew again.

[ledfloyd]

All the reviews I've read have noted a heavy subtext focusing on the effects of global capitalism. Is that not there?

[Henry Gale]

Oh, right, this little experience of a film that gradually snuck up on me and eventually managed to ravage me emotionally in its final moments. A fun Saturday night at the movies it was for all!

Seriously though, this is excellent and it all comes down to just how much of a deft craftsman of immediate atmosphere, tension and raw-nerve sentimentality Greengrass is when it comes to his sensibilities, particularly when they're put in charge of stories about stark geo-political juxtaposition and perceived duty. Not to mention Hanks' beyond superb work that manages to interweave seamlessly and eventually devastatingly in how the concrete posturing and control his Phillips has to maintain becomes a major foundation to the story.

I kind of love that the two biggest movies out right now are such visceral, intense, mature films that achieve such a wide-spectrum of emotional undercurrents that all come down to such masterful, thorough directorial hands, and they couldn't be more different. Sure this and Gravity are both about dire circumstances in fiercely isolated locations, but the way both manage to guide through their protagonist's journeys through said conflicts in ways that are so untraveled and distinct for cinema make them both comparable and uniquely strong in their brave singular natures and unflinchingly vivid approaches to their storytelling.

**** / A

[Rowland]

Captain Phillips a lie? Does it matter?

[Robby P]

I think it matters since the movie is focused on recreating an accurate representation of the events that unfolded. Obviously some artistic licensing is to expected but not if it completely changes the nature of what actually occurred. And if Captain Phillips was made aware of the dangers of sailing so close to the shore and neglected these warnings at the risk of all those on board then clearly the overriding narrative of his selfless heroism needs to be seriously re-evaluated. Obviously movies don't have a responsibility to be historically accurate but I do think they have a responsibility not to perpetuate blatant falsehoods.

[Ezee E]

This movie does matter. It tries to be perceived as being fact and timely.

These comments tend to come out of every fact based movie, I'm curious what it'll be like for 12 Years a Slave.

I don't remember too much controversy coming out of the deal when the actual event took place. I'm sure there's precautions they learned from the event, and that's what is commented on afterwards. Who knows...

[Robby P]

Additionally, I think the alternative version of this story would be far more interesting and timely. An egotistical captain neglects the safety of his crew due to his own hubris and nearly gets everyone killed through his own incompetence and recklessness but still manages to emerge as a selfless hero worshiped by the media and later makes a small fortune writing a revisionist account of his fearless conduct. Heck, he even gets a movie deal out of it. If that isn't an apt metaphor for the 21st century American experience, I don't know what is.

[Raiders]

Phillips himself has already previously acknowledged that he did ignore the warnings (he claims he didn't think a few hundred additional miles would have mattered) and that he never heroically gave himself up for the crew. This piece just seems more of a character assassination than anything else.

[Lazlo]

Yeah, all this stuff is in the movie, pretty much. The crew doesn't like his style before they get hijacked, they talk about moving further off coast but he claims it wouldn't matter, etc. He doesn't give himself up, he's kidnapped when they move to the lifeboat. Whatevs.

[wigwam]

:|

[Ezee E]

ABABLRLR??

[Raiders]

ABABLRLR??

I assumed it was a cheat code reference, y'know for video game controllers. Though the famous Konami code is actually different than that.

[Fezzik]

This was good. Sometimes great. I was worried from the trailers that they would go overboard in humanizing the villians, but they didnt do that.

The ending was suitably intense. Hanks was great. Good stuff, but I'm a but surprised its been as well received as it has been.

[Rowland]

I went into this with a bit of a chip on my shoulder, so I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.

"Everything will be okay."
"I'm the Captain."
"Everything will be okay."
"I'm the Captain now."
"Everything will be okay."
"This is the Captain speaking."
"Everything will be okay."
"You're the Captain now."
"Everything will be okay."
"We all have bosses."
"Everything will be okay."
"Everything will be okay."
"Everything will be okay."

No, it won't.

[KK2.0]

Oh, right, this little experience of a film that gradually snuck up on me and eventually managed to ravage me emotionally in its final moments. A fun Saturday night at the movies it was for all!

Seriously though, this is excellent and it all comes down to just how much of a deft craftsman of immediate atmosphere, tension and raw-nerve sentimentality Greengrass is when it comes to his sensibilities, particularly when they're put in charge of stories about stark geo-political juxtaposition and perceived duty. Not to mention Hanks' beyond superb work that manages to interweave seamlessly and eventually devastatingly in how the concrete posturing and control his Phillips has to maintain becomes a major foundation to the story.

I kind of love that the two biggest movies out right now are such visceral, intense, mature films that achieve such a wide-spectrum of emotional undercurrents that all come down to such masterful, thorough directorial hands, and they couldn't be more different. Sure this and Gravity are both about dire circumstances in fiercely isolated locations, but the way both manage to guide through their protagonist's journeys through said conflicts in ways that are so untraveled and distinct for cinema make them both comparable and uniquely strong in their brave singular natures and unflinchingly vivid approaches to their storytelling.

**** / A

love your posts Henry.

I enjoy Greengrass' movies but they are mostly fine thillers, I didn't expect such an emotional rollercoaster of an ending. I've became a bit cynical towards Tom Hanks lately but his performance here is simply flawless.

[Watashi]

This was incredible. Screw this being Hank's best performances. It's one of the best performances ever.

[Sxottlan]

Mild yay. Most days I forget that I've even seen it. Involving. But also kind of boring.

Hanks' scene in the med bay was pretty incredible. About the only time I really felt anything watching this.

[Morris Schæffer]

Oh wait the very beginning part with Keener is douchechills terrible, but again, a tiny problem in a big gleaming gem.

it was so-so, but perhaps it was trying to establish a sense of routine by being such a bland scene. Even their goodbye kiss is pitiful and that's because they've done this numerous times before. They even talk about this during the ride to the airport. He'll come back. He always does which makes the ride to the airport and their goodbye more of a missed opportunity (for the couple, not the director). Because we know what's coming.

Once it gets in the lifeboat, it's sort of just a long haul until we finally get the scene that's desired. Sadly, we never even see the crew again.

it's all very effective and engaging, but outside of knowing the outcome, [

Show Spoiler

it's a godawful mess these Somali's have gotten themselves into. If they kill Phillips, they're dead. If they don't kill him, they're stuck there with him. Plus, they're sorta dumb. Couldn't believe the lead guy actually allowed himself to be transferred to the Americans thinking there was gonna be a big pile of dosh and elders there.

] Perhaps that all happened, but I felt the way it played out ripped some supsense out of it. It was, as you said, waiting for closure, but still good.

[Melville]

No comments on what a great advertisement this is for the Navy Seals? While the ordinary seamen bicker and complain and the run-of-the-mill Navy can't get anything done, the Seals are impossibly badass, impossibly in control. They arrive by parachute with a badass musical cue, and you can be sure that in the climactic sniper scene their heartrates never get above 60. I'm surprised Greengrass would give them such an unequivocably positive portrait.

[Morris Schæffer]

No comments on what a great advertisement this is for the Navy Seals? While the ordinary seamen bicker and complain and the run-of-the-mill Navy can't get anything done, the Seals are impossibly badass, impossibly in control. They arrive by parachute with a badass musical cue, and you can be sure that in the climactic sniper scene their heartrates never get above 60. I'm surprised Greengrass would give them such an unequivocably positive portrait.

These guys do get the job done sometimes. It's what they've trained for, it's an elite unit. I didn't think it was overdone. It was all rather dry. Again though, it depends on how reality was like. If these dudes really saved the day, then I don't see how one can truly have an issue with it. If their input was minimal, then I might have an issue with it.