Brendan J. Anderson
While in recent years studios have been churning out dozens of big budget films which are high on spectacle but low on substance it's been great that in these last couple of years Zero Dark Thirty, Argo and now Captain Phillips have given us high quality thrillers that have much stronger stories. Captain Phillips is a great thriller, and like Argo it's not just the fact that the story is "real" that makes it interesting. No matter which way you cut it this film is a cinematic experience and one that is as
pulse pounding as it gets.
In Captain Phillips a merchant ship is attacked by pirates. The ships Captain is played by Tom Hanks whose performance is positively outstanding. He embodies this character and by doing so he propels the entire film. Without an actor like Hanks in the lead the film probably would not have had the same pulse pounding effect it has. This is because Hanks doesn't just use dialogue to get across who this man is, he uses subtle touches that only a true master of his craft can. The other actors in the film play admirably but make no mistake this is Hank's show. His performance lets the viewer into the world and never lets our attention go.
The direction by Bourne veteran Paul Greengrass really works here. I'm not usually a fan of shaky cam but here it gives a really sense of being out at sea. Everything feels a little unsettling like being sea sick and this works to the films credit. The camera also helps to get across the very confined space of the film. Because above all, Captain Phillips is a confined thriller. One that almost made me want to get outside for fresh air. the directing as well as the story make this possible and it only adds to the nearly unbearable tension.
It's really quite extraordinary that in a day when so many films are shot on an epic scope that Captain Phillips gives us such a confined movie. It is refreshing to see a thriller like this that really takes what seems like a big concept and shows a small, powerful conflict. This is a good trend to see in Hollywood. As this smaller thrillers continue to do better at the box office we should definitely see more of them and I would definitely salute that 5/5!
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