Spoilage below.
Okay, by the end of the first ten minutes, I was almost ready to walk out. And I have never walked out on a movie. Ever. I'm too much of a skinflint -- I'm going to get my $7 worth, blast it! But the opening scenes contained some of the worst dialog I have ever heard in a major motion picture. Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) and his wife Andrea (Catherine Keener) have a conversation in their minivan on the way to the airport that made me want to jump into the movie and put my hands over their mouths. This conversation might not bother you at all, so don't stay away just because it drove me nuts.
Once Phillips got aboard his ship, things improved a lot. The rest of the dialog was fine, if not inspired. We got to know the pirates a little, we got to know the crew a little, the pirates attacked, and things got exciting. All good.
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| The pirates |
And then the Navy SEALS got called in to assist some Navy ships in rescuing Phillips, who wound up as a hostage, and things improved vastly. Because the SEAL Commander is played by Max Martini, and as soon as he strode on screen, I remembered him from a couple eps of Castle, where he played a terrible bad guy that I found disturbingly fascinating.
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| I'm not sure if this is actually from Captain Phillips |
And he kind of hijacked my brain, or half of it anyway. And while half of me was paying attention to the movie, half of me was whirling around as a brand new character took shape before my inner eyes, Max Martini in a dark brown duster and cowboy hat, with a mean look and really nice boots. By the time the credits finished, I had all kinds of ideas for a new western story, with four characters and the beginnings of a plot.
But anyway, I actually kind of hated the movie's ending. They rescue Phillips at last, in a pretty gruesome and horrible way, and they take him aboard the Navy ship, and he's all in shock and breaking down in tears, and I wanted someone -- anyone! -- to put their arms around him and let him cry. And no one did! He so obviously needed the comfort of human touch, just a simple hug, and nope, he had to tough it out, sorry, buddy. Grr.
That's probably a kind of incoherent review, but it's about all I've got for you, sorry.
EDIT: Forgot to say if this was family-friendly. There's some bad language, but not The Biggie, and a lot of danger and suspense. The violence is mostly threatened, not enacted, though there's a scene of someone getting beaten up. There's a good bit of blood here and there from non-life-threatening wounds. And at the end, the "gruesome and horrible" rescue I just mentioned is mostly implied. You don't see dead bodies.
Ooh!! I remember that guy from Castle! He was great, very memorable. Just saw him in Person of Interest too. Now I want to see this movie a little more, but my interest has recently died away a bit. Can't really figure out why... Anyway, I enjoyed your review! You've made me curious now about the conversation at the beginning.
ReplyDeleteI kind of wanted to start watching "Person of Interest" back when it started, but I was busy, and now I'm regretting that! Lol.
DeleteI think this really would be okay to see on DVD. Yeah, the boat and the ocean are nice on the big screen, but the emotional ride will still be there on the small screen. And I had only kinda sorta wanted to see this too, was never truly excited about it -- but I needed a break last weekend, and it was the only thing out I had any interest in, and I love Tom Hanks, so... I'm glad I went, cuz I have this new story now!
Also, I see Max Martini has a TV show coming out next year, called "Crisis." I might just make room in my schedule for that, lol. Of course, Josh Holloway has a show starting next year too (I think in January?), and that is absolutely going to take up a chunk of my limited viewing time. Too little time! Grr!
Random aside: doesn't "Max Martini" sound like a made-up name? But it's not! Makes me giggle.
It's a pretty good show!
DeleteYeah I don't think I'll go for the theater for this one, and I'll be fine with a wait I'm sure. That's good that you're glad you went though. Good thing you didn't walk out. :)
I hadn't heard of those shows, but they look interesting! Especially the Holloway one! I'll have to keep my eye out for them.
It does! It's a great name! I don't think I'll be able to forget it now. :)
I am not particularly a fan of any of the things you mentioned, however I will probably rent Captain Phillips since I am interesting in seeing it and I remember seeing the real story on the news.
ReplyDelete-James
Yeah, it's very cool to know that it actually happened.
DeleteI find that these days I cannot watch movies like this. I heard it was good though.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I can't say I "enjoyed" this movie. But as a studier of people, it was fascinating.
DeleteThis is, to put it mildly, not an enjoyable film. But it is a necessary one, and one of the most devastating films ever made. “United 93” too.
ReplyDeleteYup, I agree.
DeleteI think the many scenes that left the deepest impressions are:
ReplyDeleteThe four pirates are defined in their own ways; the skinny young man Muse, Bilal, an eager teenager, Elmi, the steerer, and the aggressive Najee.
During over an argument after the first failed attempt, Muse grabs a wrench, and bludgeons rival Asad over the head, impressing Najee and shocking Bilal.
Bilal cuts his feet when they reach the engine room.
The crew members ambush Muse, badly cutting his hand and holding him at knifepoint,
When the pirates launch the boat with Phillips on board. As it hits the water, Najee strikes his head and Muse loses balance.
As the lifeboat heads for Somalia, tensions flare between the pirates as they run low on the plant-based amphetamine khat that they have been eating, and they lose contact with their mother ship. In cramped quarters, Muse bangs his injured hand and noticing the first aid kit, Phillips treats Bilal’s wounded foot, but Najee yells at him to stop before the wound is fully bandaged. The pirates deny Phillips water and fresh air but Bilal, hands him water, a move disapproved by Najee. Conditions on the lifeboat worsen. Bilal cannot feel his foot, and Elmi smashes a window for air. Muse says that he stole $6 million from a Greek ship last year, when Phillips wonders why he is not rich, Najee loses his temper and begins to question Muse’s leadership when they are intercepted by the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Bainbridge
Phillips shouts that he is at “Seat Fifteen,” indicating the place where the pirates are holding him inside. An impatient Najee fires his gun, to the dismay of his fellow pirates. Even when additional ships arrive, a desperate Muse asserts that he has come too far and will not surrender.
Phillips' attempt to escape from the lifeboat but is caught and beaten and choked by Najee and pistol-whipped by Muse.
Phillips attempts to write a letter to his family, as Bilal pleads for him to stop due to Najee’s paranoia. Najee spots Phillips writing the letter and snatches it, accusing it of being a Navy trick. A provoked Phillips wrestles and overpowers Najee and punches him in the stomach and tries to choke him. Elmi urges the hesitant Bilal to strike Phillips in the back with his AK-47. The enraged Najee beats Phillips further and orders his fellow pirates to tie up and blindfold Phillips. Najee berates Bilal and Elmi for their protests, stating that they've been tricked by the Navy as the elders did not come to negotiate and that they will all die anyway and that Phillips is the source of their misfortune. As Elmi looks on helplessly and Bilal lowers his head, and Najee prepares to shoot Phillips, Bainbridge's crew stops the tow, causing Najee to lose balance, spoiling his aim and making Phillips swing back out of range. This gives the marksmen three clear shots, by which they simultaneously shoot all three pirates: All three slump down, blood splattering Phillips. Phillips takes off the blindfold to see Najee’s dead cold eyes and Elmi fallen dead and the dying Bilal gasping for breath. A despondent Muse bows his head told his crew are dead.
Sam, well, you definitely have paid a lot more attention to this movie than I did.
DeleteI hadn't really thought about this movie in 13 years, but I reread my post just now and instantly remembered how much I wanted to put Max Martini into a western -- and he's made one!!! He's in the new indie movie Flint opposite Josh Holloway, and now I remember which movie it was that made me want to put him in a hat and on a horse.