Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & III • October 23, 2013 Piracy, courage, and suspense on the high seas by Dennis Seuling “Captain Phillips” is an account of the actual attempt by four Somali pirates to gain command of a huge American mer- chant ship and hold it for ransom. As directed by Paul Greengrass (“United 93,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”), the film is a taut, minute by minute look at how the event unfolds. With his crew of 20, Phillips (Tom Hanks) takes his vessel on a route off the coast of Africa. He is aware of potential dangers from Somali pirates, but feels con- fident that the size of his ship, its speed, and its distance from the mainland will be enough to protect the unarmed vessel. When two small boats of armed pirates are spotted, Phillips succeeds in get- ting one to turn back, but the other per- sists. Phillips maneuvers his ship so the small boat is repelled by the ship’s wake in a rough sea. All seems well until the determined pirates return. This time, they successfully board and commandeer the ship. The pirates’ leader, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), is a gaunt, frightening presence with cold, piercing eyes. He makes it clear from the outset that he is now in charge. Hanks has a solid role as Phillips. An early scene shows him at home in Ver- mont as he gets ready for his voyage, packs, and drives to the airport with his wife (Catherine Keener). He is an average guy going off to work like many millions of others, yet what he is about to face will made headlines all over the world. Hanks projects his usual nice guy personality, which later blends with sheer fear as he faces down the desperate pirates. Hanks is impressive as Phillips and even resembles the actual man a bit -- though he doesn’t entirely master a New England accent. But, in the picture’s greatest surprise, it is Abdi, a native-born Somali from the Midwest, who makes the most searing impression. An untrained newcomer to acting, Abdi is totally con- vincing and completely believable as his character’s desperation and frustration mount. Unlike his fellow pirates (Barkhad Tom Hanks stars as a cargo ship captain whose vessel is commandeered by pirates in ‘Captain Phillips.’ Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed, Mahat M. Ali), Muse is motivated more by intelli- gence than emotion. As circumstances change and his three friends are thrown into a tailspin, Muse processes, thinks, and orders his men and Phillips accordingly. While the three other Somali actors are often over the top in their performances, Abdi is absolutely on target in conveying exasperation combined with intimidation. In fact, it would not be sur- prising if a Best Supporting Actor nomi- nation were in his future. Director Greengrass captures the ten- sion, particularly when the pirates take command of the ship with their automatic weapons blazing. It is as if the viewers are standing on that bridge facing the pirates. This sense of terror is present in much of the rest of the film. This film accomplishes what so many directors strive for, but fall short of accomplishing. Greengrass masterfully coordinates performances, editing, and photography to create an exceptional cin- ematic experience. Often, this is made to look effortless, which is all the more impressive. True artists never make the process look difficult. As in “United 93,” the outcome of the film is known by those who remember the news reports, yet Greengrass manages to make the events riveting, sustaining rapt attention through- out. Rated PG-13, “Captain Phillips” is one of the best movies of the year so far. It offers solid characters, a gripping story, impressive production value, star power, and an astonishing acting debut. At 134 minutes, the movie flies by as its intensity escalates and action is propelled forward.