Far from taking it easy his diabetes diagnoses, Tom Hanks is in the midst of promoting his upcoming action thriller, Captain Phillips. The Paul Greengrass directed film tells the story of Captain Richard Phillips, a merchant sailor, who was taken hostage by Somali Pirates during the Maersk Alabama hijacking in 2009.

Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips Screening At London BFI Festival
Hanks looked sharp as usual at the film's gala screening at the London BFI Festival.

Check out more pictures from the gala screening here.

Captain Phillips made its debut at the New York Film Festival on September 28 and it was an instant critical success. Contactmusic’s own Rich Cline gave the film some well deserved praise, giving special notice to Greengrass’ ability to paint a bigger picture, rather than creating one-sided villains.

Various reviewers have also applauded the film’s hectic pace and the added layer of realism, thanks to Greengrass’ decision to shoot primarily on location. As Us Weekly’s Mara Reinstein puts it “lends an extra layer to the film’s harried pace.” In addition, Greenblatt employed real-life Navy SEALs, instead of relying on actors.

Check out the trailer below.

As for Hanks, the Oscar-winning actor gives one of the best performances of his career, which is a good thing, since the audience sees the events of the film mostly through his character’s eyes. The actor gives his character the necessary depth, without which this kind of movie would be unwatchable, exuding his trademark air, which The AV Club’s A.A. Dowd aptly describes as “a levelheaded confidence and an almost paternal warmth.” It’s a difficult story to watch, but coming in at the end of a season of attempted blockbusters, Captain Phillips may just turn out to be a serious contender for Academy recognition.

Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips Photocall
The Paul Greengrass picture is getting all-round approval.