Captain Philipps Movie Review
Captain Philipps movie is based on a true story. The director
of Captain Philipps is Paul Greengrass, he is also the director behind the
movie “Bourne Legacy”. The story is all about the hijacking of Somali Pirates
on the US container ship MV Maersk Alabama on 2009. Somali pirates, headed by
Muse hijacked Maersk Alabama with the intent of getting ransom for ship and
insurance money in exchange for the ship’s crew. The film focuses mainly on Abduwali
Muse (Bark Abdi) and Captain Richard Philipps (Tom Hank – a multi-awarded
actor).
From port of Salalah in Oman, Philipps and his men ordered
to sail through the Gulf of Aden to Mombasa. Philipps is aware of the pirate
activity off the coast of Somalia, knowing this situation, he ordered his men
to always take precautions on the ship.
Philipps and his men outran the Somali pirates on their
first meeting. During the chase, Somali pirates are boarded in two skiffs-a
small motorized boat. On their second encounter, Somali pirates was very
determined, headed by Abduwali Muse riding in faster skiffs and carrying a ladder they had hastily welded.
Despite of Philipps’ and his men’s best effort of defending the ship, Somali
pirates finally succeeded to board and take control of MV Maesk Alabama.
Philipps was captured by the Somali pirates while some of
his men was able to hide in the ship’s engine room. The crew manages to evade Muse,
and cut down both ship’s engine power and emergency power, and eventually
capture Muse. The crewmen arrange a trade with the remaining pirates, they want
to exchange the life of Philipps for Muse and lifeboats. Crewmen found out that
the pirates still have Philipps in the lifeboat. The pirates goal is to reach
the shore, apparently they were intercepted by the US Navy ship named “Bainbridge”
headed by Captain Frank Castellano. Philipps tries to negotiate with Muse but
this does not materialize.
That night, Philipps is able to escape and swim towards the
US Navy ship. The navy team cannot
identify Philipps and thus takes no action. The pirates manage to recapture
Philipps. Muse eventually agrees to board the US navy ship, he believes that
some of his elders will be negotiating for Philipps’ ransom. Meanwhile, Najee,
one of the Somali pirates catch Philipps writing a letter. When Najee tries to
get the letter, Philipps’ attacks him. The pirates decided to blindfold and tie
up Philipps. The pirates didn’t notice that there is a seal team near them. The
seal team take advantage of the commotion in the lifeboat thus killing the
pirates. Muse which was boarded in US navy ship was later arrested for pirac.
Philipps’s was saved by the seal team.
