When Apple bought the distribution rights to Greyhound, the new Tom Hanks movie, and announced they would be releasing it direct to streaming, my first thought was “It must suck.”

This knee-jerk reaction was due in part to the utter disaster that is Artemis Fowl, the big-budget, originally-intended-for-the-big-screen, complete shitshow that Disney + “gifted” to us as a streaming choice during the pandemic. That move was clearly because the film was terrible and sending it to streaming had the appearance of a grand entertainment gesture during “these unprecedented times.” (Ugh…I’m getting really tired of those three words.)

Fortunately, Greyhound, penned by the Hanks man himself, is a solid WWII thriller that actually seems better suited for home viewing than it would’ve fared in theaters. It’s not a grand enough spectacle to cut it as a blockbuster, but it is a solid 91 minutes spent in close quarters with the most famous person yet to catch the coronavirus.

Greyhound chronicles the real-life odyssey of the USS Keeling, code name Greyhound, an escort for a convoy of supply ships heading across the Atlantic towards Liverpool during WWII. The ship is targeted by German U-Boats, as are other members of the convoy, and Greyhound, captained by Commander Ernest Krause (Hanks) must go into protect mode. They fight a brave battle, but not all of the ships will make it to Liverpool.

The movie stands tall alongside the likes of Das Boot and Crimson Tide as solid thriller entertainment spent mostly inside a tin can passing for a floating arsenal. Director Aaron Schneider provides some excellent torpedo thrills and does decent work with a relatively modest budget. Hanks is Hanks, which means he’s terrific.

So, Apple scored a good one with this move. I’m sure they will have an Artemis Fowl or two in their future, but this one proves that having the app among your streaming choices is starting to be a worthwhile thing.

Streaming on Apple TV