The Terminal (2004) Movie Review, Trailer and Poster

USA 2004
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci, Kumar Pallana, Chi McBride, Barry Shabaka Henley
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: June 18th 2004
Running Time: 2 hours 8 minutes

The Movie Review

The airport terminal...some of us must have been there at least once, whether we're going on a trip or just to pick up our relatives. After our business is done, there's nothing that would keep us staying there for long. We would go straight home or to our next destination. What if you are stuck at the airport, not because of a flight delay that makes you wait for a couple of hours, but you are really stuck and forced by circumstances to stay and really live at the airport terminal? The Terminal with Tom Hanks tries to represent that unlucky man who has to make the terminal his house and home.

Viktor Navorski is a Krakhozian who has just arrived at the JFK international airport in USA and enthusiastically


THE TERMINAL
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about to enter New York City, but he is informed there's a coup d’état in his country which means his country is at war, thus Viktor's passport is no longer valid. Knowing only very little English language (yes, no, and thank you), Viktor just nods along with the Field Commissioner's decision which leaves Viktor no choice but to stay at the airport terminal until the war is over.

The self-effacing and sincere Viktor tries to make the best out of his misfortune, and soon Viktor with his sympathetic personality is a dear friend to the terminal crew. Viktor even has a crush with a flight attendant Amelia Warren (Catherine Zeta-Jones). What will happen to Viktor during his stay at the terminal? Will he ever comes home to his country?

This romantic film would be more appealing if you haven't known Tom Hanks before, because the way he personates a Krakozhian (fictional nationality) is top-notch hilarious, but even if you already have, Tom Hanks' acting is highly convincing to be a man who learns a new language. Tom Hanks surely is a great actor, he could weld rusty old jokes into a very funny and laugh-out-loud new jokes. The jokes are the clean and gentle-comedy type, but they just meld nicely with other affable characters.

I have to say I laughed out loud a lot more than I think I would, seriously a lot more! It makes every little and overlooked things funny. The scenes become affectionate and this the kind of feel-good comedy. I almost choke on my coffee, seriously, as the jokes come in an unsuspecting way. There are many interesting things at the terminal that could be turned into jokes, several small parts of the humor are definitely irrational but...they're combined with other elements which makes them stand far far away from cliché alley. I was worried that The Terminal would role through the corridor of predictability, thankfully it does not.

Just for your knowledge only, maybe and just maybe Victor Navorski is based on a real person. Yup, I've read about him, a guy named Nasseri who came from one of the Middle Eastern countries and had to stay at the airport for more than 15 years! With those many years, he must have been done a lot more things than Victor has.

Don't get fooled by the boring title of this film. Compared to Cast Away (Tom Hanks previous drama movie that shares the same theme), The Terminal is much more appealing and charming.

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com