Greengrass wants his film to only be determined by the facts and not by his own or others’ judgements or prejudices. This type of fiction has, in a certain sense, taken over the impossible idea of an objective documentary. But what is Greengrass’ true endeavour with this claim of ‘authenticity’? And why? Because a film like Captain Phillips is founded on these true facts ‘authenticity’ is its imperative keyword. The world in the film must strive to be as close as possible to this historical truth. That’s the story we told, and it's an accurate one.” 1 Greengrass apparently saw it as his duty to make the film correspond as accurately as possible to the historical facts given on the operation. Captain Phillips’ ship was attacked, and the ship and the crew and its cargo made it safely to port with no injuries or loss of life. we researched the background of the Maersk Alabama hijacking in exhausting detail over many And I’m 100% satisfied that the picture we present of these events in the film, including the role playing by Captain Phillips, is authentic. Greengrass points this out himself: “When we started the film, it was a top priority for me to look into this issue in every detail. The film achieves the status of a re-enactment: the facts are meticulously simulated. On the contrary, the film puts everything into effect in order to create a feeling of ‘look, we were there’, this is how it ‘really’ happened. The fiction doesn’t create any distance from the actual events. What do we get to see in the film? And in particular, how does Greengrass try to tell his story? The film was shot in an excessively ‘realistic’ style: shaky camera, in the midst of the action, edited quickly and with limited analysis. Loathsome because it confirms in an utterly gruesome way how our contemporary world works. As a viewer one breathes a sigh of relief when the Navy SEALs appear on the scene and rescue Phillips.Ĭaptain Phillips is an unbelievably loathsome film. For two hours we follow the developments of this dramatic incident with clammy hands, sitting on the edge of our seats as we await the fate of the captain. The captain seems pleased with the end result and the film enjoys a standing ovation at the festival.Ĭaptain Phillips is an unbelievably thrilling film. The film premières on the 11th of October 2013 at the New York Film Festival, in the presence of Hanks, Phillips, crew members of the Maersk Alabama and uniformed U.S. On the 21st of September 2013, Richard Phillips and Tom Hanks appear together on the cover of the American magazine Parade. For nine weeks the crew films on the Maersk Alexander, a ship identical to the Maersk Alabama.

Appropriate Somali actors are found in Minneapolis and, in order to reconstruct the ship exactly, the producers visit the original lifeboat which is exhibited at the National Navy UDT-Seal Museum.įilming starts on the 26th of March 2012 and most of it takes place off the coast of Malta. A year after its publication Paul Greengrass, known for Bloody Sunday (2002) The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and United 93 (2006), amongst other films, assumes the direction of the film adaptation and Tom Hanks agrees to take on the role of Captain Phillips. Sony Pictures buys the rights to the book. Muse is sentenced in America and is currently serving his sentence of 33 years and 9 months in an American prison.Ī year later Phillips publishes the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea in which he relates his version of the facts. Three of the Somali pirates die and the fourth, Abduwali Muse, is arrested. A large-scale American military operation ensues in which Phillips is rescued. Captain Richard Phillips surrenders as a hostage and is taken away by the pirates in a lifeboat. In April 2009, four Somali pirates hijack the cargo ship Maersk Alabama in the Indian Ocean.

Lyrics contact edwin starr