Terminal, The

USA 2004, 128 minutes
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Rating: [PG]
Genres: Comedy

Feat. Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci, Diego Luna

Aroview: An Eastern-European traveller (Tom Hanks) becomes permanently stranded at JFK Airport, New York, and begins to lead a curious existence, unable to leave and gradually becoming the bane of a petty security bureaucrat.

Although based on a true story, this forgoes realism for an ambitious comic vision of the genial futility of the 'system', expressed in several wonderful set-pieces by dir. Spielberg. Perhaps suffering a little from a lack of courage, especially in light of presentday policies on immigration, this remains slickly orchestrated, with some gratifying final twists.

Member Reviews

Average rating (Good Enough). Showing 1-2 of 2 member reviews.

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4 stars (Very Good) Loosely based on a true story, this is a touching and funny comedy set entirely in an airport terminal. Hanks is great and warming as Viktor, the poor but well-intentioned soul stuck in the terminal. ~Tom H
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2 stars (Good Try) They manage to drag a single joke (its a good one) out by an extra hour. The casting of Hanks is bizarre & must have been for commercial reasons - his understanding of English fluctuates but for Catherine Z to be attracted to him stretches things too far. ~Tubbs