Captain Phillips

It's brutal, edge-of-the-seat filmmaking that you cannot afford to miss.

Captain Phillips isn't easy entertainment but it is a film that will force you to think. It's also a visceral experience that shouldn't be missed. I'm going with four stars.

With Captain Phillips, Paul Greengrass has added yet another gem to his already impressive repertoire. Tom Hanks in the lead role is nothing short of brilliant. The final scene where he breaks down is itself worthy of an Oscar. It is films like these that restore your faith in main stream Hollywood, don't miss it.

Allowing the action plot to take over quickly, the director ratchets up the tension from the moment the four machine guns wielding pirates board the unarmed commercial vessel. The showdown culminates in a scene performed with such vulnerability by Tom Hanks that the two-time Academy Award winner will likely snag another Oscar nomination.

The film does occasionally seem like a battle of good vs evil and might vs mettle. As much as it is about Phillips' ordeal, it is also a battle in which the well-equipped American Navy SEALs take on four skinny Somali men stuck in a lifeboat. It's a sight that inspires as much awe as amusement.

Captain Phillips makes for an interesting watch – if you can survive the constant hammering of the background score. Just fast enough to keep you gripped, Captain Phillips is good entertainment that, thankfully, has its brain intact.