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When the phrase “based on a true story” comes up just before a movie begins, a certain excitement radiates through the audience. Viewers understand that what they see happening on the screen to actors is, in some form or fashion, a real-life telling of what happened to actual people. It is an exhilarating way to learn about history and understand situations you may otherwise never witness. However, because the medium used is a movie rather than a documentary,some creative liberties have likely occurred.
Some people are portrayed as better, nicer, or more heroic individuals. Some circumstances are made out to be scarier or more action-packed. Normally, audiences don’t seem to mind a little Hollywood flare thrown in, but controversy arises when thereal-life peoplewho encountered the situation don’t like what they see on the screen.
For instance, Tom Hanks' biographical action thriller,Captain Phillips,tells the story of how a brave merchant mariner, Captain Richard Phillips, managed to survive after pirates hijacked his ship and kidnapped him. The film certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat, but not everyone was as enthralled by the nail-biting display.Many of Phillips' real-life crew mates were not amusedby the movie or how Phillips told his horrific tale. In fact, several of them actually sued him for his actions and decisions that put them in harm’s way. Find out why the real Captain Phillips was sued by his own crew members after the hit movie was released.
Captain Phillips Was a Blockbuster Hit
Captain Phillips
The screenplay forCaptain Phillipsis based on Captain Richard Phillips' book,A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea. The movie followsCaptain Phillips (Tom Hanks)as he and his crew travel along the coast of the Horn of Africa to deliver food, water, and fuel to different countries. Due to breaking a few rules and knowingly being in pirate-infested waters, Phillips has his crew perform drills in case an attack occurs. Unfortunately, one does, and four Somali pirates make their way aboard the MVMaersk Alabama.
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Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi), the leader of the pirates, immediately takes action and orders Phillips to find the rest of his crew, all of whom are hiding due to Phillips' orders. Phillips tries to stall and tells Muse that his hijacking will get him nowhere as they have nothing aboard worth stealing. Muse explains that he is looking for a ransom, and he knows the insurance company will pay well for the safety and well-being of the crew mates. Eventually, the crew mates capture Muse, and the pirates agree to a “trade of captains.” Once Muse is returned to his three men, they take off in the lifeboat with Phillips aboard.
The story then focuses on how Phillips manages to stay alivewith the pirates, all whilethe U.S. Navyputs a plan in place to ultimately save Phillips. However, a second plan is also in place if they cannot get to him before the lifeboat reaches the coast. After hours of negotiating, Muse and his men are still unwilling to budge, but he eventually agrees to board the naval ship to meet with his tribe’s elders to discuss the ransom. With Phillips alone with the other three pirates, tensions rise, and he is nearly killed. Just before Phillips is shot, Navy snipers manage to simultaneously shoot and kill the three pirates.
The Real-Life Captain Richard Phillips
From Merchant Mariner to Author
While Tom Hanks did a magnificent job portraying Captain Richard Phillips, the fact that areal-life manlived through the hijacking and kidnapping is almost unbelievable. Richard Phillips graduated from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 1979 and practically lived on the water. He traveled across seas delivering goods to different countries for decades before being stopped in his tracks and having his entire life change forever.
On June 29, 2025,Phillips was off the coast of East Africa near Somalia, commanding the MVMaersk Alabamawith a crew of 20 other individuals, when pirates approached the ship. Two days earlier, an advisory was released saying that ships in the area needed to stay at least 600 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia due to pirate activity.Phillips chose to ignore these warnings. He believed that if pirates were going to attack their ship, then distance did not matter. The MVMaersk Alabamawas only 250 miles off the coastline when Abduwali Muse and his men attacked and boarded the ship, according toVB Attorneys.
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That same day,Phillips was taken hostageby the pirates as they boarded a lifeboat and headed for the coast. He was held captive for four days until it was decided that Phillips' life was in danger. The SEAL Team Six then opened fire on the three pirates aboard the lifeboat, and Phillips was eventually reunited with his family.Phillips took some time off work and wrote his memoirwith journalist Stephan Talty, but just 14 months later, he was back on the sea. Phillips officially retired in 2014.
Many Crew Members Sued Captain Phillips
Not Everyone Thought He Was a Hero
For all that Captain Richard Phillips went through, it’s surprising that he wouldfind himself on the receiving end of a lawsuitwith 11 of his crew mates. However, once the merchant mariner found his way back home, had his memoir published, and was eager to see what a film adaptation would look like of his experience, he realized not everyone was enthusiastic about seeing himbeing portrayed as a hero.
In 2010,CNNreported thatPhillips said he knew what he was doing. He said, “I don’t believe 600 miles would make you safe. I didn’t believe 1,200 miles would make you safe. As I told the crew, it would be a matter of when, not if.” This way of thinking is exactly what put Phillips and his 20 crew mates in harm’s way. Had there been more harm or even death, Phillips' neglect likely would have landed him in jail, though probably not in the same one Abduwali Muse found himself in once he was taken into custody.
After getting back to shore and back to their families,11 of the 20 crew members who were working under Phillips ended up suing himand the shipping company. They felt that the choices made by Phillips and Maersk put them in danger, and their focus was more on getting the goods to the different locations at a faster rate rather than a safer one. The lawsuits were settled before trial, and details were kept under wraps. However, it is safe to say that these men do not see Phillips as the hero he’s been portrayed as in the film industry.StreamCaptain PhillipsonNetflix.
