Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips (2013) starring Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi. Since this movie is based on true, recent events, most viewers will know going in how it ends. But that doesn't detract from the drama and the suspense as Phillips' (Hanks) ship is taken over by Somali pirates and Phillips fights to maintain control without getting anyone killed. The movie is quite skillfully made, and you can't help a surge of emotion as the U.S. Navy comes steaming over the horizon to the rescue. Hanks is excellent in the title role, and Abdi is very convincing as the leader of the pirates. The only thing that was slightly disappointing was the moment when the Navy SEALS took out the pirates, which happened so quickly that it was hard to tell what had just happened. A very good film. (The English subtitles, for the hearing-impaired, are very legible.) Grade: A-