With previous new reports complaining about the repetitive and predictable box office, Captain Phillips gives viewers a great movie that leaves the audience in awe.

As a leader, you must show courage and make sacrifices. Richard Phillips, played by academy award winning Tom Hanks, is an ordinary man from Vermont with a supportive and loving wife and two children rapidly becoming young adults. He leaves his family to lead the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama cargo ship around the African horn in April 2009.

Very aware of the dangerous pirates lurking around the waters, he warms his crew as he also tries to remain cool and collected. Phillips successful escapes an attempted attack from Somali pirates/fishermen- gaining trust and loyalty from his crew.

Fueled by his anger towards America and injustice, pirate leader Muse, played by Barkhad Abdi, attacks the huge ship with three other determined men- a young teen and two other enraged pirates. Captain Phillips does a commendable job stalling the pirates and keeping his crew safe but when Muse is ambushed by the crew members, tensions and gun shots flare. With everyone calming down, the pirates create an ultimatum which concluded in the four pirates and captain to leave the ship.  In order to protect his crew, Phillips jumps into the small boat with the pirates back to Somalia.

This incident becomes the first American cargo ship to be hijacked and attack in two hundred years.

The thriller exudes suspense and emotion throughout the movie.

Audience seem to take side in feeling empathy towards the characters. Many feel for Captain Phillips because he is a hostage under life-threatening conditions, but many forget to see the side of Muse and the other pirates.

In the movie, you realize the leader and the pirates are actually nice but they are unhappy with the conditions America has put them through such as taking all their fish and not reaching out to help with famine. In one scene, Richard Phillips asks the pirates why they were satisfied with the money (given them $30,000). The pirates expresses the little opportunity they have back home; that they would love to live in America.

Captain Phillips is a must-see.