Somali Pirate Takedown: The Real Story (2009)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

The Maersk Alabama made national headlines and was eventually turned into a hit movie with Tom Hanks. CAPTAIN PHILLIPS was a highly entertaining film but as with most Hollywood films based on a true story, it was mostly fiction. This documentary shines the spotlight on the truth as we get several interviews with people on board the hijacked ship and we also get to hear from some of the Navy men who were being the rescue mission. Obviously, if you're interested in the story then this here is going to be a must see because you get a much better idea of what actually happened. The film's greatest benefit is the fact that it features interviews with the actual crew members who were taken hostage and hearing their fight for survival was quite intense and it made you realize that their story alone didn't get enough attention in the Hollywood movie. We also get some diagrams showing us how the Navy SEALS attacked the lifeboat and made certain that the hostage wouldn't be harmed. At around 44-minutes, this film manages to hold your interest from start to finish and makes you really appreciate our Navy.