Batten Down the Hatches: Captain Phillips

Some true stories are just made for Hollywood - the story of an average American family man, Captain of a container ship overtaken by Somali pirates in 2009, Captain Phillips puts you right smack in the middle of a situation that turns dangerous all too quickly. The collision course storyline between Philips and the leader of the pirate gang would be suspenseful in almost any hands - but with director Paul Greengrass at the helm (United 93, Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum), it's a lapel-grabber of the first order. Greengrass is a master at putting you in the center of escalating chaos, jacking up the suspense while maintaining a strong sense of realism.

It's fascinating to see the enormity of a cargo ship - a lumbering behemoth full of blue collar guys, just doing their job (Chris Mulkey!). Filming at sea on a ship this size can't have been easy, but it feels completely real and matter of fact. Hanks portrays Phillips as a conscientious man, just trying to keep things running, increasingly aware that their course is taking them into dangerous waters. There's a great little pair of scenes early on that start with Phillips worrying to his wife about the cutthroat job market their son is facing, then jumps to the Somali coast and the throng of hopefuls vying for a chance to be part of the ship hunting crew.

The film is incredibly suspenseful as we hope along with Phillips that somehow violent contact can be avoided. But eventually, the pirates - lead by Oscar nominated Barkhad Abdi - board the ship and all hell breaks loose. Abdi is a haunting, desperate presence here and manages to convey ruthless resourcefulness while still evoking our sympathies. The final third of the film is less overtly frantic, but Greengrass keeps slowly turning the screws as we sail towards an inevitable showdown.

Greengrass is one of my favorite directors. A lot of people missed United 93, but it's remarkable and easily the best 9/11 film to date. He uses the camera in a way that puts you right in the moment with the action swirling around you. But he's equally great with actors. Hanks delivers some of his most effective work here. It's a crime that Greengrass wasn't nominated for director this year. He's a massive talent and serves up a riveting tale of two very different kinds of desperation, caught in a wave that could easily pull them both under.