The dramatic and thrilling ordeal of the Maersk Alabama was ripe for movie making the second it started splashing across news screens. The first American ship to be boarded by pirates since the 19th century? Navy Seals? A brave captain? It was scooped up pretty quick and put into movie form, and thankfully it looks like it was done well with Tom Hanks taking the titular role of Captain Richard Phillips and Paul Greengrass bringing his shakey cam along to direct.
This isn’t Greengass’s first foray into true stories as he made the underrated United 93, which speaks well for his ability to handle this film. Hanks looks on point, of course, so the only real concern is how much they ramp up the action. Too much and you’ll feel like you’re watching something that isn’t real. It’ll definitely be all about the drama when Captain Phillips lands on October 11.
