We have been wanting to watch the movie Captain Phillips ever since it first came out. Due to busy schedules and life…we just haven’t gotten to the theater. In the Atlanta area, we are headed into our 3rd day off of school tomorrow due to our current ice storm…making a perfect setting to watch a movie like this.
Captain Phillips is an action-packed movie depicting the true story of the 2009 hijacking of the American ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates. Tom Hanks plays Captain Rich Phillips that deftly navigates his crew through the horror of the pirate invasion while demonstrating some crucial leadership skills. I will mention that there are a variety of stories of how the real Captain Phillips responded in this situation. I wasn’t there, but the movie portrays him as an excellent leader in the face of adversity.
As soon as the pirates were detected on the radar of the Maersk Alabama, Phillips calmly switched into the mode of a leader defending his ship and his people. There were so many calculated decisions that Phillips made along the way that no doubt saved the lives of his crew as well as himself. This movie brings awareness to the danger present around the Horn of Africa which is a major shipping channel. Here is a graphic that also brings to light the tragedy that is taking place with the people of Somalia who are living in the midst of all of this.
This is an excellent movie if you have a chance to watch it. More important, use this movie as a great reminder to pray for the people of Somalia.