Captain Richard Phillips and his crew are carrying freight around the Horn of Africa when four Somali pirates forcefully take over their ship, the MV Maersk Alabama.

While Phillips’ team follow his orders to hide until they hear him give the safe word, the captain and a few essential crew members remain on the bridge as the heavily armed pirates make their way up to seize control of the ship.

But the interlopers soon discover something that sends them into a furious rage: after effectively shutting down the ship, Phillips explains that the Maersk had malfunctioned when the crew pushed it too hard in an attempt to evade the attackers.

The film has already garnered attention on Hollywood’s award circuit with Golden Globe nominations in the drama category for best motion picture and best performance by an actor for Tom Hanks portrayal of Captain Phillips. It’s also received a nomination for best performance by an actor in a supporting role. The film’s director, Paul Greengrass, directed second and third films of the Bourne series, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum.

Director: Paul Greengrass. Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Catherine Keener, Michael Chernus, Corey Johnson. Rated: PG-13. Time: 2:13.