Oscar Contender: Tom Hanks Stars As ‘Captain Phillips’

Captain Phillips, directed by Paul Greengrass, is the true story of the 2009 hijacking of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates.  The film focuses on the relationship between the Alabama’s commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (portrayed by Tom Hanks), and his Somali counterpart, Muse (Barkhad Abdi).

The Maersk Alabama hijacking was the first successful pirate seizure of a ship carrying the U.S. flag in almost two centuries.  The five-day stand-off between Somali pirates and the U.S. Navy ended when a rescue effort by the Navy SEALs was launched to board the vessel and open fire on the captors, saving the crew of the Alabama.

The film is based upon the book, A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty.