I found this film to be very intriguing. When I started it, I was expecting a documentary type film on pirates in Somalia made famous by the terrific film "Captain Phillips".

About 10 minutes in, I realized this was going to be a lot more then an action/Drama film on the exploits of Somalian Pirates. What you get in this way better then average movie is a man who yearns to be a published writer/journalist. He tries his hand at some very uninteresting subject matter and then sees the news reports in the Hijacking of the cargo ship "Maersk Alabama" by Somalie pirates and, after some research, that NO Western journalist has ever truly entered the world of Piracy in that region of Africa.

He is Canadian (Evan Peters who plays real life journalist Jay Bahadur) and gets his parents to finance an adventure to a life completely unknown to him in Somalia.

Without giving more of the film away, I can say that the true elements of how Piracy got its start in this poor and almost forgotten African nation and more importantly WHY it happens to this day. It gives the viewer a really different perspective on the story of these proud people who have a history of culture and used to settle disputes with poetry, not violence. I enjoyed the way the protagonist explores the realities and history of the Somalie people rather then exploit the violence often used by the very nature of piracy.

This is a must see for anyone who is interested in the culture and reasons behind why piracy is a way of life for peoples of this region.

A very well done film. Definitely recommend.

I enjoyed Pirates of Somalia far more than I thought I would. Evan Peters is credible and very watchable. The supporting cast is strong enough to keep you interested in a well-told story. I wasn't as informed about the piracy situation in Somalia. I'd wager that bunches of Westerners aren't, either. However, this film does a great job of laying out the recent Somali history, while also telling a compelling "true" story. I'd recommended Pirates of Somalia, but only to someone who can handle a human drama with some political history, good characters, and touches of humor. This film is not for the blissfully uninformed. You'll learn something. And you'll like it, too.

The title "The Pirates of Somalia" + 'too old for action' Pacino set up in my mind a film completely different from what transpired. And so did the 'tone' of the first 20 or 30 minutes. The unprepossessing lead actor and the 'near-goofy bro' tone almost had me leave early but, if you go in, have patience. This well made true life tale of an idealist who takes a way-over-his-head risky chance in the hope of establishing himself as a journalist keeps adding weight as goes. The director mixes in a little magical-realism while presenting background to the Somali situation that I had never heard or read of before. Plus, it happens to be funny quite often. Enough license taken to make it a tense grand adventure. Our favorite Somali actor, Barkhad Abdi, once again, does a great job.

What a pleasant surprise as I had no expectation of this film being as good as it is. Good storyline based on fact, well cast and good acting. Thoroughly recommend this one.

This black comedy has twenty-something Canadian Jay Bahadur (Evan Peters) with dreams of becoming a journalist but no clear path towards reaching that goal. One day he hits upon the dubious idea of traveling to Somalia, a very dangerous country where no Western journalists will go out of fear, and writing a book about the coastal pirates. Once there, he learns about the local culture while also clumsily causing havoc. Featuring Barkhad Abdi as his friendly translator, Al Pacino as a journalistic mentor, and Melanie Griffith as Jay's mother. Also appearing are Coral Pena, Russell Posner, Kiana Madani, Maria Vos, and Philip Ettinger.

Peters is good in the lead, a goofball who makes up in courage what he lacks in common sense. Abdi, who played the lead Somali pirate in Captain Phillips, is also excellent as the cheerful local. Pacino and Griffith have little more than cameos. The film seems to be trying for a mix of Salvador and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, with many of the dangerous situations offset by humor. It doesn't always work, and the movie could have been 20 minutes shorter, but it's still a somewhat interesting glimpse at a foreign culture.

This was one of the most entertaining movies I've seen all year. A compelling retelling of a great story, with a refreshing approach to movie-making and an awesome cast, and some very memorable characters. Underlying all of that was a credible presentation of some important real life issues, which didn't come across as being overbearing or politically driven.

The bottom line for me is that is was a enjoyable, well made movie about a good story.

Though a true story was a bit disappointed with the film.

Seemed a bit silly in many parts. Al Pacino was good but underused while Barkhad Abdi was probably the best character though every time you saw him I couldn't help but think he was playing his Captain Phillips role!

This type of docufilm is not my cup of tea as I'm more into the action/tension type films, but I still found it entertaining, informative and a well put together production with great casting, directing, writing and cinematography. Although the pace was too slow for me, still a great watch and thus a 8/10 from me.

The movie dedicates from 3 - 5 minutes of dialogue to explain something of Somalia history, culture and situation. Throughout the rest of it, it tells the story of a prepotent journalist trying to make a career out of another country situation. The main character is just annoying and futile. Native actors made good performances. Important story told through a bad script.

What's the name of the Khat dealer? I didn't find her in the cast?

This is not a blockbuster of a movie,Al Pacino,glimmering his name on the movie posters had a cigg-butt lasting appearance or disappearance.i had in the end forgot about ''scarface'',till i saw a cigar tasted by the main actor.so Pacino fans, be wilder-ed.... The lead actor and his Somalian interpreter and friend ,does a decent acting in this drama . The filming were colorful, but the direction and script are somewhat toothless and mediocre and high on khat. Not much pirating or shooting to be a pirate film. It is what i call ''nearly there''......and watching waiting for things to explode makes some 140 minutes seem very long.

Do not avoid this movie,the subject are important,but without angry lions(hakuna simba...)

This was actually a good movie and made me do some research. I had no idea it was based on a true story. I would definitely recommend others to watch.

Ah, Somalia... where is it again? There's a new movie for every- or anybody willing to learn something about this African country famous for having been an major commercial centre in antique period, and, er, its pirates gaining international fame during the 2000's.

Or they might have been just local fishermen protecting their livelihood from illegal fishing by foreign trawlers, depending on who you ask.

As the title strongly suggests, "The Pirates of Somalia" is about those fishermen. It's based on actual events taking place mostly circa 2009, and actually has two stories in one.

The smaller story - mostly the beginning and the end - is about this American dude (Evan Peters) who wants to become journalist after college but can't get work. So he decides to do something noteworthy and travels to Somalia to write a book about its pirates.

This section plays out like typical youth comedy: dude fighting with parents who would like to see him doing something with his life, instead of living in their basement, smoking marijuana with friends, hanging out with this funny old man (Al Pacino) who likes cigars and drinks.

The dialogue feels pretty fresh and the general vibe is good. I enjoyed the unexpected little surprises such as the the character of pothead friend who's actually pretty smart, the foul language in TV news...

Also, Evan Peters is a likable leading dude, unpretentious but informed and eloquent, nerdish but charming. Think along the lines of Jesse Eisenberg and Emile Hirsch, and you might get the picture.

The bigger story is about him living in Somalia, socializing with the locals and trying to get interviews from pirates. All this is harder to describe because writer-director Brian Buckley has wanted to show life as it was, and not offer some packaged or ready-to-go entertainment connected to a specific genre.

He has dived right in the middle of Somalian everyday life and avoids typical cliches about Africa, as far as I can tell.

Yes, there are some goats walking on the streets, people living in slums, a lot of men carrying guns in public, etc. But the style is not hollywood-ish at all. People are just people, and most of the time, nothing big and exciting happens. Even the witty dialogue has been left back home at the U.S.

This simple and humane approach is "Pirates's" main strength but also it main weakness. Because for a near two hour movie, we see pirates but not exciting about them, and there's actually not much to learn about the local life too.

I did not get the general sense of what the people do all day every day, or even what the dude does (I can deduce he was writing for some of the time, and doing local drugs for fun, but then what?).

I know I am supposed to judge what the movie for what it is, not what it isn't. But it's still kind of funny that a story trying to give us deeper understanding about Somalia never really explores or explains what makes its people tick, or the pirates.

Well, it's still pretty chill way to spend two hours with a movie, and the acting is very human and natural, both by professionals and the locals, almost all of who are played by actual Somalian refugees.

In the central role is this Barkhad Abdi - nominated for Golden Globe and Oscar for 2013's "Captain Phillips" (where he played Somalian pirate). On American side, we also have some former stars like Melanie Griffith and Al Pacino.

I loved this film, it is so refreshing to see actual Somalian people given the chance to tell their story. I thought the film was fantastic, the drama was peppered with humor which made it more real

All of the leads were fantastic Evan Peters and Barkhad Abdi were the stand outs. I really felt their friendship grow through the film and about 30 minutes in I forgot they were acting as the drama became more real. I loved the Director's use of animation throughout the film.

I recommend this film as it is about another point of view and it is linked to the movie Captain Philips.

This film explains about the Somalian Culture and the motives behind the Piracy. I learned so much more from this film than from the Tom Hanks vehicle.

If I was to sum up its a cracking story of courage, hope and the search for the truth.

Loved every minute of it

I thought it was a good movie. The acting was good but the only reason it got a lowish rating was literally down to the character/actor Jay whatever his name is.

It's a sensitive subject, in a sensitive country but once again in true Hollywood style you get the loud obnoxious immature woo hoo individual that just ruins the whole film. Now, I have no idea if this is how Jay was in real life (chances are he is the same as it's a biography) but every single scene he is in I felt myself getting angrier and angrier. Acting like a spoilt child in a country that is trying to sort itself out.

The Somalian guy helping him was great but the Jay character just kept putting everyone associated with him in danger constantly due to his overt personality. If I was there and around him I would have probably left him to die many times.

So to sum up it's a great movie ruined by the main character with his 'Canadian in a different country let's party woo hoo' personality.

The movie was very interesting, it is good to see "Captain Philips" first, but even without it you can see it again. It is a very good movie with very beautiful locations and excellent interpretations, mainly by Barkhad Abdi and Evan Peters. The fact that it is based on a book makes it even more attractive. I highly recommend it.

An incredible story based on real life events from 2008 and 2009, with a very well managed script and an incredible direction, however the production of this film chose poorly by choosing Evan Peters as the main actor playing Jay Bahadur, it took away force the character, you could even feel in a bad movie at times, made the story send the wrong and distorted message.

Had no idea about Somalia, until I saw this movie. Well done!

This based-on-facts movie looks like it's going to be a trashy, violence-filled tale of mayhem, but it turns out to be something quite different, and much better.. It tells the story of Jay Bahadur (played by Evan Peters), a young Canadian who wanted to be a journalist. A chance meeting with a journalist whose writings he greatly admired (a fictitious composite played by Al Pacino) persuaded him that rather than going to journalism school, he should go somewhere dangerous and write about it. He went to Somalia, a country he had researched for a paper he had written in college, and found opportunities to interview the Somalian pirates, which no Westerner had ever done.

It's an exciting story, well told, well acted, and believable. The Somalians in particular are portrayed as three-dimensional characters rather than simply as savages (as they are often portrayed in the media). Yet brutality and ruthlessness are present in their everyday lives as well. Action, suspense, friendship, courage, humor, this movie has it all.

What it does not have, unfortunately, is captioning. Much of the dialogue is difficult to catch, especially the English spoken by the Somalians with their strong African accent. This is a rather serious flaw impairing the enjoyment of an otherwise excellent movie.