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The Terminal is Steven Spielberg’s
most intimate and human film since Always in 1989. This is not a
sweeping epic, like Schindler’s List. It is not a film filled with
fantastic elements like Minority Report. And it certainly isn’t a
commercial blockbuster like Jurassic Park. But that doesn’t mean
The Terminal isn’t an outstanding film.
Life is waiting. At its heart,
The Terminal is about Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks), a native from the
Republic of Krakozia in Eastern Europe, who gets stranded in JFK
International Airport in New York when rebellion in his homeland causes the
US Government to not honor his passport. Viktor is not allowed to return to
his country or set foot on US soil. So he does what most would do in his
situation, he waits.
During Viktor’s seemingly interminable
delay, he makes friends, gets a job, and falls in love with an airline
flight attendant, Amelia Warren (Catherine Zeta Jones). During these months,
everyone in the airport gets to know the kind and sweet Viktor, and
everybody loves him. Except Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci), the airport
security chief responsible for Viktor’s indefinite stay. Dixon didn’t expect
Viktor to actually stay in the airport, remain under his jurisdiction and
causing problems with regulation. The days turn into months, and everyone
begins to ask just why Viktor came to New York in the first place?
As you expect, Spielberg delivers an
emotional story, filled with true, unexaggerated humanity. The pace of the
film is perfect, allowing the audience to experience Viktor’s plight with
the necessary drama, laughter, and heartache in the right doses at the right
time.
The Terminal allows Tom Hanks to
give another endearing and charming performance, akin to Cast Away, The
Green Mile, and Forrest Gump. This film is another reason he is
one of the greatest actors of his generation. And don’t listen to people who
say his accent is annoying and unrealistic…it’s perfect! Surprisingly,
Catherine Zeta Jones has wonderful screen chemistry with Hanks. While they
may seem an unlikely pairing at first, it played right into the hands of
filmmaking genius Steven Spielberg.
At first I was suspect of the seemingly
dull and narrow plot of “Tourist Stuck in Airport,” but was dumbfounded when
I discovered this actually happened to someone stuck in an airport in
France! Certainly expectations of being unrealistic go out the window with
that! Despite initial prospects of being dull and narrow, The Terminal
delivers a simple and deep story of the goodness within the human heart and
its effect on others.
The Terminal is a delightful film,
a jewel among loud special effects extravaganzas, and the first Oscar
contender for Best Picture this year.
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