Oh Captain, my Captain...Phillips....

Based on the book A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs and Dangerous Days at Sea, Captain Phillips tells the tale of Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) as he takes command of a container ship with orders to sail through pirate infested waters. Naturally, it doesn't take too terribly long for his ship to get attacked and commandeered by pirates and Phillips takes it upon himself to protect his crew and the ship's cargo. He clashes with the head of the takeover, Somali pirate captain Muse (Barhad Abdi), and is eventually taken hostage. As Phillips struggles to keep his wits and his emotions about him, the US Navy begins plotting a rescue mission to retrieve him from the hands of his captors at whatever cost.

Captain Phillips will knock you flat on your back and leave you in a breathless state during its entire run time. It is, no doubt, one of the very best thrillers released in 2013. Director Paul Greengrass has, over the years, developed a reputation for crafting visceral, tense cinematic experiences and Captain Phillips is no exception. Each pulse-pounding sequence cranks up the intensity, tightening its grip around the audience, keeping us on the edge of our seats and never letting up until it reaches its powerful conclusion. The craft is superb but it's the performances of Tom Hanks as the title character and newcomer Barkhad Abdi as Muse that give this film its heart. Hanks, who is quite possibly the best actor working today, gives one of 2013's finest performances with an affecting take on an ordinary man thrown into extraordinary circumstances. Abdi gives an equally revelatory performance and it's truly amazing to think that this is his first experience acting on the big screen. The guy's a natural.

The screenplay by Billy Ray is tight and well-structured even as it struggles to give depth to its primary characters. As great as Hanks is, it's a bit hard to empathize with his character any deeper than on a surface level. We feel for him and want him to survive at arm's length, but there's not much to invest in character-wise. Greengrass pulls you into the intensity of this story so expertly that it's hard not to wish there was a bit more of an emotional connection. But, now I'm just nitpicking. The truth is Captain Phillips is excellent and more than deserving of its near-universal acclaim.

CONCLUSION: Captain Phillips is another superb entry in Paul Grengrass' filmography and showcases the amazing talents of Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi. It's one of the best and most nerve-wracking films of 2013 - Suspenseful, emotional and enthralling to no end.

FINAL RATING: 4.5/5