Captain Phillips 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Captain Phillips 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

"The coward is the first one in the grave."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown July 22, 2024

Captain Phillips is a movie that almost feels too real, if film can achieve such a thing. Precariously balanced on a razor's edge, it threatens to draw all too real blood at every turn, creating a survival thriller that comes as close to a documentary as any piece of fiction could. Tom Hanks is exceptional as ever -- no surprise -- but here he melts away, replaced by a man whose life and friends are on the line, forced to contend with a scenario no training could prepare him for. The actor fades more and more as Richard Phillips and his captors burn brighter and brighter, and Hanks's performance, already a stunning bit of work, becomes something else entirely by film's end. Never have I seen a more convincing moment of relief, trauma and emotional and psychological exhaustion as Hanks manages to conjure in Captain Phillips' final moments. It's a tense, masterful slice of true-life cinema based on the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, and it's not to be seen. It's to be experienced.

Ordinary everyman Richard Phillips (a superb Tom Hanks) is captain of the Maersk Alabama, a US cargo ship bound for the Middle East that has to pass through pirate-infested waters. A stickler for safety and order, Phillips and his first officer Shane (Michael Chernus) run a veritably tight ship, but go even further after receiving warning of increased danger along their shipping route. Phillips, in response, locks down the ship and runs a drill that, without warning, becomes all too real as unidentified skiffs appear on radar. Emergency measures aren't as effective as needed and emergency calls either go unanswered or prove to be unhelpful, leaving the Alabama on her own. Even after repelling a direct attack, one skiff of four gunmen refuses to relent, eventually boarding and taking control of the ship and claiming Phillips and his command crew as hostages. The pirates' defacto leader, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), is full of ambition and desperation, determined to ransom the crew for millions of dollars.

Click here to read Martin Liebman's full review of director Paul Greengrass's harrowing film, which he calls "a truly special movie that finds an uncanny balance in narrative progression, action, drama, heartbreaking emotion, and heart-stopping terror." Adding, "the contrasting worlds, the building pressure, the excitement, the uncertainty, and the culminating catharsis of it all in one of the most powerful and precisely acted end scenes in cinema history all give rise to what is a perfect movie."

Captain Phillips 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The upgrade offered by Sony's 2160p 4K release of Captain Phillips might not be readily apparent at the start, but it represents a formidable uptick in quality; one that features perfectly refined grain, extra fine detail even in the dark confines of the Alabama, and an enriched HDR palette that leaves skin tones and primaries looking even more convincing than before. Barry Ackroyd's sun-seared cinematography skews colors with hints of oceanic blues and ironclad greens, lending the picture that patented Paul Greengrass touch. But it works, and works wonders, preventing the image from tipping over into Hollywood sheen and preserving the rawness of the good Captain's plight and the intensity of the pirates' attack. Yes, shaky cam is the norm (not to mention on brand for Greengrass), but the 4K presentation never falters or fails, holding true even when chaos peaks. There isn't a hint of blocking, banding, errant artifacts or other anomalies to report. Detail, though, is exceptional, with crisply resolved textures, clean edge definition, and every last bit of flaking rust, hull wear-n-tear, blood spatter, sweat-beaded hair, and salt-water grime the movie's production design and photography have on tap. Even the non-optional subtitles accompanying the pirates' native lines look great. It's often difficult to describe just how precise and proficient a transfer of this caliber is, particularly when so much effort has been invested in stripping the cinematography of anything flashy, attractive or traditionally appealing. But the realness of Captain Phillips has never been more... well, real that it is here.

Captain Phillips 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The standard Blu-ray release of Captain Phillips already boasted a fantastic surround track. How do you best that? With an even more involving and immersive multi-channel Dolby Atmos audio mix, that's how. I've used the word "real" far too many times already, but when a word is spot on, no amount of thesaurus-ing will do. The film's new audio presentation is so real it will send goosebumps up and down your arms, bring the hair on the back of your neck to attention, and wow you with its prowess. If, that is, you can stay focused on the track's wonders rather than getting caught up and distracted by the survival tale unfolding on screen. Dialogue is clean, intelligible and convincingly grounded in the mix, with countless directional effects whizzing, spraying and echoing from every speaker. The skiff attacks alone are amazing to listen to, as water splashes every which way, pirates scream and scramble, counter-measures fire and assault the senses, and the hull of the Alabama groans against the raging sea. Meanwhile, LFE support brings tremendous weight and presence to everything from the ship to gunfire, the latter of which borders on being too loud but is that much more effective for it. Ambience is outstanding and, more to the point, ever-present and engaging, blessing every scene with increased authenticity. This is a track that defies description and must be heard and experienced, appreciated and savored, to be believed.

Captain Phillips 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K Blu-ray release of Captain Phillips includes all of the extras first made available on the film's 2014 standard Blu-ray release. However, you won't find any of them on the 4K disc; rather on the accompanying BD copy of the film. Click here for a full breakdown. Special features include:

• Director Paul Greengrass Audio Commentary

• Three-Part Production Documentary: Capturing Captain Phillips (HD, 59 minutes)

• Previews

Captain Phillips 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Captain Phillips is so convincing and authentic that it ceases to play like an adaptation of a real-life event and becomes something that's almost too unnerving and believable. It's barely a film and more of an experience, one that unfurls on the screen with (what feels like) wicked abandon but is so masterfully crafted and perfectly penned, helmed and performed that it makes it all too easy to forget what is and isn't real. The final moments alone will leave you breathless and emotional. Sony's 4K Blu-ray release is terrific, living up to the film it delivers thanks to stunning 4K video and immersive Dolby Atmos audio. It doesn't offer any new special features, but the AV uptick is well worth the price of admission.