The Terminal (B+ or 3/4 stars)
'The Terminal' brings together the union of Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks once again (Catch Me If You Can, Saving Private Ryan). Needless to say, it is a magical match to have these two gentlemen working on the same project. And once again, the result is a stellar movie.
Viktor Navorski (Hanks) is fresh off a flight from Krakozhia (a fictional Russian satellite nation). He's bound for New York City for business & pleasure. However, when Krakozhia falls into a coup situation, his visa and passport are inaccessible. He can't return to Krakozhia and he cannot step foot on American soil; Viktor is devastated. Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci), the customs & immigration official allows Viktor to stay in the international lounge, but warns that leaving the terminal will result in his arrest. Viktor has to fend for himself in the terminal. He speaks little English & most people are in a hurry to catch a plane, let alone help an illegal alien. He even has to figure out a clever way to set up a sleeping situation for the night. What he does and where he situates himself is hysterical. That's the thing; we feel sympathetic to Viktor's situation as well as other lesser characters and yet Spielberg still finds ways to make the audience laugh out loud.
Some of the aforementioned lesser characters I speak of include Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), the flight attendant, Enrique (Diego Luna), Gupta (Kumar Pallanatucci), & an INS agent (Zoe Saldana). All of these characters, as well as various others, befriend poor Viktor and try to make his stay in the terminal as pleasant as possible. After all, it is difficult to live out of a suitcase and pay for food when you have no money (Enrique helps him out here). So, while our heart goes out to Viktor, we see evidence that New Yorkers can and will help an illegal human being in the middle of an airport.
Frank Dixon (Tucci) is the only loathsome character in this comedy. And loathsome is a strong word for a man who is only trying to do his job. While it's ordinary and just for a customs supervisor to not take illegal aliens lightly, he does not take any time to truly know or understand Viktor & realize that he is an innocent victim of war who has no aspirations to cause conflict in his airport or to America. Viktor stays in the terminal for quite a long time & never steps foot outside (doing just as he was told). And still, we view scenes where Dixon treats Viktor as an unknowing, naive animal. Viktor's case could have been handled with a little more discretion on Nixon's part. Catherine Zeta-Jones does a fine job by playing Amelia, the flight attendant who has an ongoing affair with a married man. Zeta-Jones' physical and vulnerable appeal on screen is undeniable. The tender moments between Viktor & she really come across on the screen.
Now admittedly, I didn't see his last film, Ladykillers, because it looks like a poor movie with an amazing actor in it. But I'm glad to witness the usual Tom Hanks genius in this one. He plays Viktor with the most believable Russian accent you'll hear from a non-Russian. Not once does his accent waiver to anything other than Russian. It's just another reason why Hanks is considered one of the great actors of this time. He can play almost anything (very comparable to Meryl Streep). I admire his abilities greatly. I enjoyed this movie a great deal. While the length is short for a Spielberg film, some scenes dragged. Some other scenes came across a bit odd in the film, too (a scene where two airport employees who barely know each other … tie the knot); just silly. On the flip side, the sentimental aspects of the story got me to tear up on more than one occasion. So overall, the film has too much comedy & too much heart to neglect it of a B+/3 star rating.
Viktor Navorski (Hanks) is fresh off a flight from Krakozhia (a fictional Russian satellite nation). He's bound for New York City for business & pleasure. However, when Krakozhia falls into a coup situation, his visa and passport are inaccessible. He can't return to Krakozhia and he cannot step foot on American soil; Viktor is devastated. Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci), the customs & immigration official allows Viktor to stay in the international lounge, but warns that leaving the terminal will result in his arrest. Viktor has to fend for himself in the terminal. He speaks little English & most people are in a hurry to catch a plane, let alone help an illegal alien. He even has to figure out a clever way to set up a sleeping situation for the night. What he does and where he situates himself is hysterical. That's the thing; we feel sympathetic to Viktor's situation as well as other lesser characters and yet Spielberg still finds ways to make the audience laugh out loud.
Some of the aforementioned lesser characters I speak of include Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), the flight attendant, Enrique (Diego Luna), Gupta (Kumar Pallanatucci), & an INS agent (Zoe Saldana). All of these characters, as well as various others, befriend poor Viktor and try to make his stay in the terminal as pleasant as possible. After all, it is difficult to live out of a suitcase and pay for food when you have no money (Enrique helps him out here). So, while our heart goes out to Viktor, we see evidence that New Yorkers can and will help an illegal human being in the middle of an airport.
Frank Dixon (Tucci) is the only loathsome character in this comedy. And loathsome is a strong word for a man who is only trying to do his job. While it's ordinary and just for a customs supervisor to not take illegal aliens lightly, he does not take any time to truly know or understand Viktor & realize that he is an innocent victim of war who has no aspirations to cause conflict in his airport or to America. Viktor stays in the terminal for quite a long time & never steps foot outside (doing just as he was told). And still, we view scenes where Dixon treats Viktor as an unknowing, naive animal. Viktor's case could have been handled with a little more discretion on Nixon's part. Catherine Zeta-Jones does a fine job by playing Amelia, the flight attendant who has an ongoing affair with a married man. Zeta-Jones' physical and vulnerable appeal on screen is undeniable. The tender moments between Viktor & she really come across on the screen.
Now admittedly, I didn't see his last film, Ladykillers, because it looks like a poor movie with an amazing actor in it. But I'm glad to witness the usual Tom Hanks genius in this one. He plays Viktor with the most believable Russian accent you'll hear from a non-Russian. Not once does his accent waiver to anything other than Russian. It's just another reason why Hanks is considered one of the great actors of this time. He can play almost anything (very comparable to Meryl Streep). I admire his abilities greatly. I enjoyed this movie a great deal. While the length is short for a Spielberg film, some scenes dragged. Some other scenes came across a bit odd in the film, too (a scene where two airport employees who barely know each other … tie the knot); just silly. On the flip side, the sentimental aspects of the story got me to tear up on more than one occasion. So overall, the film has too much comedy & too much heart to neglect it of a B+/3 star rating.