Captain Phillips

It seems these days that Hollywood wants to get a hold of every military war story and make a blockbuster hit out of it. We have seen this in the past two movies we have watched in class, Black Hawk Down as well as The Hurt Locker. Although these movies are based on the real life situations of these events, film makers often add to or take away parts of the story to make it more interesting for the viewer. One of the most recent war stories that has been produced into a movie is “Captain Phillips” with Tom Hanks. The film is about a band of Samoli pirates that board a large cargo ship and take Captain Richard Phillips hostage. To get the pirates to leave he offers them $30,000. The plan does not work, and the pirates take both the money and Phillips. The movie portrays the Navy Seals coming to the rescue and killing three pirates with three shots, and everyone lives happily ever after. But like we’ve seen with these other war movies, critics do their research and find out that’s not what happened. 


 

The kidnapping of Phillips and taking of the money occurred on April 8th, 2009. On April 12th the SEALS acted. After a gun on the lifeboat that the Somali pirates were on went off the SEALS opened fire on the boat. SEAL Matt Bissionate tells us, “Entering the life raft, they quickly and methodically re-engaged each pirate, making sure there was no more threat”. 

Attorney Phillip L. Weinstein, who represented the one surviving pirate who was later prosecuted in federal court, had a team of experts examine the photos of the life boat. Fox News tells us, “The expert estimated about 19 rounds had been fired into the bodies.” Nineteen rounds fired, not three rounds for three pirates. The $30,000 was also never found. Phillips recalls, “There were two stacks of hundreds, one of fifties, then twenties, fives, and tens ... I never saw the money again. Later, when they gave me a sack to lean against, I felt the stacks of money inside, but I never spotted the cash out in the open again." 

The director of the movie says "Movies are not journalism," Greengrass said. "Movies are not history." Movies indeed are just intended for pleasure and viewing experience. But where do we draw the line when it comes to weeding out the truth, or completely change the story to cover up government conspiracy? I believe one of the reason’s our nation is struggling the way it is, is because our government officials and workers are not taking responsibility for their actions. These actions are ones that should not even be taking place. 

We have elected these people because we feel they are the most suited to take on these missions/jobs. As far as the Navy Seals go, they are supposed to be the most elite, honorable force out there, yet we have $30,000 missing and 19 rounds fired into three pirates. I do not have a problem with the final result of this mission, I only question the integrity of how it was carried out.