Review of The Terminal (2004) by Filipeneto — 24 Apr 2018

Anyone who has traveled by plane usually hates wait long at customs or passenger control, and can lose his composure with delays or baggage losses. In this case, the unfortunate passenger played by Tom Hanks will go through a bit of all that for having lost his own nationality, ending retained "ad aeternum" in New York airport terminal. Assuming that this film is a comedy with some romance, the idea is good, even if it seems little logic. Despite this promising start, the script ends up lost in trivialities and huge plot holes. One of the most egregious is the fact that Viktor, Tom Hanks' character, who hardly spoke a word of English, having learned so quickly the language. His story with Amelia (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones) also does not fit in the rest of the film, so that is quickly cut with a simple and abrupt ending.

Tom Hanks deserves, however, congratulations. He was again perfectly up to his work. His character could be just a caricature of any citizen of the former USSR countries, but he managed to give it a very kind and patient soul, who easily conquers the public. Zeta- Jones had less luck with her character, poorly planned and poorly embedded in the plot but, nevertheless, made a decent and satisfying work. Stanley Tucci makes a good villain in the person of airport immigration director, Frank Dixon.

This film is pure entertainment, and it works very well in this light. But it could have been more intelligently developed in several aspects.