captain phillips

This action-packed thriller, based on a true-life story, was screened at The Fourcroft Hotel on Monday, June 16. It concerns the eponymous hero (Tom Hanks) as captain of a containerised cargo ship which is taken over by Somalian pirates. There is surely enough fighting, fear and spilled blood in this movie to satisfy those who appreciate what is frequently called 'a traditional man's film'. The acting, when the pirates fall out amongst themselves, thereby endangering Captain Phillips even more, is especially powerful. It makes for engaging polarities when we recall that the previous fortnight's film, 'Twelve Years A Slave' exposed white American brutality towards an Afro-American whilst 'Captain Phillips' explores Somalian cruelty to a white US ship's captain and his crew. This was an intelligent decision by Films4Tenby, to show this pair of films subsequent to one another at The Fourcroft. As a female viewer of 'Captain Phillips' and as a cinema-goer who, generally-speaking, prefers art house films (writes R.A.), I have two points to make about this latest filmic offering at The Fourcroft: What interested me most was getting to see the container ship's bridge, engine room, staff quarters and bowels of the vessel; it makes for an attention-retaining setting amidst all the strong-man action. Secondly, I hope that some inspired film director will explore the political reasons behind Somali piracy. I happen to have encountered some young, male Somali refugees on my travels - it was a pitiful sight and a pitiful and anger-making experience. Next films to be shown at The Fourcroft Hotel are: Monday, June 10 - 'About Time'; Monday, July 14 - 'Dallas Buyer's Club'.