MovieChat Forums > Captain Phillips (2013) Discussion > You're kidding me?

You're kidding me?

posted 10 years ago by callumfaulkner
46 replies | jump to latest

4 poor, technologically challenged Somalians were able to board a ship this big?

Are you kidding me?

The houses seemed to do nothing and in reality don't even seem necessary. Just shoot/ bomb the pirate boats.

If that's too violent for you, hide on the ship and dislodge the god damn ladders! It's really not that hard.

At the very least shoot the god damn flares at the pirate boat/ pirates while they are vulnerable and climbing the ladders!
God damn this film.

[–] lensue88 10 years ago

Were you on a snack break for some scenes? Watch again maybe, large ship not prepared, hoses and flares and 4 pirates with guns.

[–] monique79-1 10 years ago

Did the original poster forget the fact that no one aboard the ship was armed?! Commercial ships may not be allowed to carry any weapons, depends on international laws as well as the company that owns the ships....How could 4 scrawny Somalis take over a whole ship? BECAUSE THEY HAD WEAPONS and the ships crew didn't...Obviously the poster did not watch the movie and is clueless that this actually happened.

[–] Rubixcube10 10 years ago

I was shaking my head when they were about to board this big ship. Yes, it happened in real life. But what the heck were the people on the ship thinking. 4 people had to climb a ladder just to get onto the ship. That means, they had to use at least one hand to climb up, not to mention it was s little difficult to climb with the wind and waves. You couldn't get 4-5 people at the top of the ladder and just hit them with a board when they reach the top? Or throw heavy objects (fire extingusher) down the ladder. I'm just amazed that 4 people were able to board the ship. What about shooting the flare down the ladder onto their boat, why try taking a long shot?

I know this is based off a true story but I'm just amazed that the 100 people on the ship couldn't stop the 4 people from boarding. Yes, they all were able to escape the situation and not be harmed with they way they did it. Procedural, I guess.

[–] Doodlebuger 10 years ago

The crew never had a chance to get anywhere close to the ladder, and the pirates are not all on the ladder at the same time and can always shoot. Anyway, it happened and merchant ships are not gunships.
Business tries to avoid anything military looking until they are forced (reluctantly) to use armed protection. This goes for merchant ships in dangerous waters, oil rigs in Nigeria, etc.
And btw, these SOmali pirates are fierce fighters, not technologically challenged at all ! Certainly quite proficient with their Kalachnikovs.

[–] mwmtampa 10 years ago

I will repeat my comments also despite all the protests to the contrary. They mentioned at the beginning of the movie that there were acts of piracy that had taken place already. For them to head into these waters knowing that, and not being armed and prepared, is really lame, foolish, and preposterous.

I also agree with the posters who stated they could have prevented the pirates from boarding the ship by dislodging their hooks, or conking them as they tried to board. Why did the crew just accept their boarding attempt? And not repel them? Quite preposterous.

[–] pigeonstopper 10 years ago

You have ruined the internet for me. For shame, Sir. For shame.

___
the schmaltz; i has it

[–] DorkoTheDorkLord 10 years ago

Would you be willing to give your life in defense of a crappy blue collar job?

Neither are most merchant crews.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] callumfaulkner 10 years ago

Sorry can't see how to add a new comment so I'll just reply to mt OP.

But just so everyone knows, yes I'm aware this is based on a real event - I'm not mentally challenged like most of the people here.

What I am questioning is the audacity that in this day and age with all our technology, (supposed) intelligence, and weaponry; that four god damn poor and technologically inept Somalians can take over a ship that big.

This is undeniably just horrendous foresight/ planning and most likely some stupid political *beep* preventing weapons/ better defense systems for these ships.

Oh and the movie was still an over-dramatized piece of crap used to milk your sympathy and guilt you into liking it (see the piss poor opening conversation (dialogue) between the Captain and his wife).

[–] DorkoTheDorkLord 10 years ago

Politics is part of it, as a lot of countries don't like the idea of armed foreign ships coming in and out their ports (can't imagine why...). Cost is another part, since it would mean different insurance and permits and training. A final one is...there's just nothing on those ships (in general) worth dying for. Being able to get into a gunfight with the pirates, people who are dirt poor and looking at (potentially) multi-million paydays from a successful hijacking, won't make them less dangerous.

[–] Williambrad2004 10 years ago

also you have to look at the firearm laws of the countrys there ports there going to dock at.

bird signs you want to plan a strategy based on bird signs.

[–] cribera-1 10 years ago

I mean, they were US soldiers aboard, or did I understand wrong such part?

If the cargo+ship is worth millions of U$, how come INSURANCE COMPANIES won't demand such BASIC security (2 to 4 well armed men, even with at least a missile launcher, apart from machine guns, mercenaries on the payroll of the ship's company or the insurance company), to be able to have the ship insured?

[–] Wiccaman 10 years ago

Until relatively recently insurance companies were quire reluctant to encourage armed guards. They believed that the consequences of a firefight would be more costly than the cost of a boarding (this was in the days that pirates just tended to nick money and easily transportable valuables than the ship itself).

Now though they do offer a bit of a discount on the premium if there is trained security on board. It's normally around 25% for non armed guards and 50% for armed guards.

This is just for bulk cargo carriers carrying inert goods though. They still don't like armed guards on petroleum and chemical carriers because of the fire/explosion risk.

[–] r_freeman 10 years ago

I found it frustrating watching the crew do nothing until it was too late and they were aboard. The film bored me throughout, and I can't understand why it's rated so highly.

* Opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has them, and they normally stink.

[–] Galactus03 10 years ago

......with everything you said.......plus the movie just plain stunk....based on true events or not it really wasnt that dramatic of a story for the big screen. TV film perhaps but not a major motion picture. Also did you notice how much more exciting the poster for the film made the boarding of the ship look. Lol

[–] Sfondi 10 years ago

No. This topic isn't happening.

Holy *beep* people are actually this dumb

___
This board I post on, it has trolls in it