Ah, Tom Hanks. An actor who can just about do it all. Except get have an uneventful time at sea apparently. The last time he tangled with ol’ Poseidon’s domain, he ended up stranded on an island crying about a volleyball. And it would seem that his aquatic bad luck streak continues.
But this time instead of battling to make fire, he’s instead being fired upon by Somali pirates in the Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy/Ultimatum, United 93) directed Captain Phillips, the true story of the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama, the first successful hijacking of a US ship since the 19th century.
And by successful, I don’t mean for the pirates.
Columbia Pictures’ action-thriller “Captain Phillips” stars two-time Oscar® winner Tom Hanks in the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. The film is directed by Oscar® nominee Paul Greengrass, from a screenplay by Billy Ray and based upon the book, “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea,” by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty.
Through his career, Greengrass has shown an ability to marry action and suspense pretty well with human drama, as can be especially be seen in his 9-11 plane hijacking movie United 93. And while Al Queda terrorists and Somali pirates are definitely a different kettle of villainous fish, he seems to have made the transition really well.
I’m just hoping that he also had the same idea I had, which is to somehow sneak Wilson the volleyball into a couple shots at sea.
Captain Phillips sails into cinemas on October 11, 2013.
Last Updated: May 10, 2013
