Captain Phillips

It doesn't matter if you know how the events of Captain Phillips end. Director Paul Greengrass's real life thriller will keep you tense until the very end.

In 2009, Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) takes command of the MV Maersk Alabama on a voyage to Mombasa. A few days at sea, Phillips and his crew narrowly avoid a pirate takeover. The next day, they're not so lucky. Four armed Pirates from Somalia, led by one Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi), seize the ship.

The Pirate Crew wants a hefty bounty real fast; they'll kill Phillips and the crew if they inconvenience them. But the Alabama crew have better things to do than to be hostages. Phillips, meanwhile, is more than willing to cover his men's tracks.

As Phillips, Hanks perfectly leads the film. His character is a reluctant hero, but he'll act when he must. When he acts, it earns the audience's admiration.

The Pirate Crew, Abdi in particular, are great antagonists. They're motivated by desperation, not malice. Even when they threaten Phillips, one can honestly wish they could've avoided piracy. This makes the resolution of the ordeal quite bittersweet.

Editor Christopher Rouse, who won an Oscar for The Bourne Ultimatum, puts himself in consideration for another one. From the attempted hijacking onwards, the film keeps its audience invested in the situation. Assembling Barry Ackroyd's cinematography, the end result feels like an up-close documentary of the situation. Henry Jackman's incredible score also stands out triumphantly.

Some have accused the film's account of exaggerating the actual events. But Captain Phillips is still a spectacular thriller. It's one of those films that we should hear from more in a few months for the right reasons.