The Pirates of Somalia

Evan Peters (Quicksilver from the X-Men movies) stars in this engaging, true-story drama about a would-be journalist who flies out to Somalia to meet their infamous pirates and tell their story. The journey of passionate amateur Jay Bahadur is made all the more enthralling by Peters, whose enthusiasm and naivety is endearing from the start. He carries the film during slower moments, but because we are often learning more about Jay than Somalia, it dilutes the focus on the world he is supposed to be investigating. Still, joining him on such a perilous odyssey is thrilling, particularly with such a strong supporting cast. Oscar nominee Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) is memorable as Jay's charismatic guide, while Al Pacino pops up briefly as a retired journalist who becomes his mentor. The Pirates of Somalia struggles to make a defined point politically, but succeeds as a portrait of the bravery that drives so many foreign journalists.