Grade: A-

Summed up: Next to Gravity, this is the 2nd most hold-your-breath-movie of the year.

From the beginning, you know what is gonna happen. Based on the true story of Captain Phillips, Captain Phillips features Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips. This movie is primarily about Captain Phillips and from Captain Phillips’ perspective for the majority of Captain Phillips.

Ok. Enough of that.

Cpt. Phil is a ship captain who is tasked with taking a huge boat from A to B. But on the way there…pirates. Not Caribbean kind. Somalian kind. They board the boat, and the rest is edge-of-your-seatness. Buckle up.

Interestingly enough, the movie shares the context of the pirates at the beginning and a little throughout. It shows the pressure that these people come under every day. They are tasked with pirating American vessels. Or else they disappear. Oppression exists in many places, and though the movie does not condone their actions, it helps you understand them a little more.

Tom Hanks is great. Always great. Not in a Sleepless in Seattle way but in a Castaway kinda way. He makes you believe he is on a pirated ship. Which makes you unable to breathe. For a long time.

Paul Greengrass directed. He gave us 2 of the Bourne movies. And Green Zone. He has a gift for tossing you into the middle of a situation and making you feel it. Mission accomplished Paul. Mission accomplished.

Consensus: Cannot watch it again. But it was a great experience and a fine film.