Went to catch this movie with Lin Shen and Aileen because we were all too bored on a Sunday evening. It was a really awesome movie which literally kept me up in my seats throughout the whole movie. No drags and time wasted. The beginning of the movie brings you right into the action and leave you breathless by the end of it. And you would probably still be recovering from the shock as you walk out of the theatre thinking: 'what just happened?'
This movie was so brilliantly directed in a way it keeps you following closely to the flow of the entire event with you feeling the anxiety, fear, intensity as though you were freaking there. And kudos to Tom Hanks! This movie is so believable because he made it so.
But still, part of the credits have to undeniably go to this group of pirates. Because, beyond the heroic glory that the media is showering upon this Captain Phillips, the director did not forget to also give credibility and life to these pirates who sadly had no choice to living. There were many scenes where you see the pirates struggling with their humanity and their desire to live.
Why this movie is SO good (and I cannot stop emphasizing) is just because you do not only feel the terror that the Captain was feeling, but also the terror that the pirates were feeling. AND I EMPATHIZE them a lot. I feel so much for these pirates, because can you imagine that all they wanted was only to just live? Did they really choose to be born in this community? This is one of the movies you just don't grow to hate the bad guys. It leaves you feeling helpless and thinking why life treats us all differently.
The end of the movie shows the entire fleet of navy seals walking away in a cool and almost indifference manner, like their job is done, fullstop. No need for empathy, no need for celebration. That is probably what they are trained for, emotionless. They do look extremely charming with their biceps and their 6 packs (I wanted to say 8 packs but their boobs were too huge for two more anyways). We should all be appreciative and grateful that there are really these bunch of men who dedicate their lives to protect our safety. And I am glad to know that we proudly have the 'Navy Seals' in Singapore who are very as professional as of the United States.
But after googling for this movie and the true story, I realised that there was a lawsuit on-going since 2009 and Captain Phillips was probably not as heroic as depicted in the movie. Therefore, to a certain extent, I do not watch this movie with the mindset that it is a true story. I do empathise with him that he had indeed faced this ordeal, still I do not agree for the media to be giving him so much credits for the heroic assumption based on the fact that he was held captive and survived for 5 days while the rest of his crews were unharmed and safe.
If he hadn't actually did jeopardize the safety of his fleet and crews, I see no reason why ELEVEN of his crews would SUE him even after knowing of his traumatizing 5 days being held hostage in the small lifeboat. There must be something wrong with this guy that made them HATE him so much. This movie is indeed about him, but it should be focusing more on the suffering and terror that he had faced rather than about how heroic he had been. Bleh~ It was kind of a big boo boo for me on this part.
Nonethless, TOM HANKS for the win! Yay!
Everyone go catch this movie~ GO GO GO!
