The Terminal - Movie review

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Tom Hanks, Diego luna, Zoe Saldana, Stanley Tucci

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video

Another hit actor-director duo film by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. 

When Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks), an Eastern European tourist, arrives at JFK in New York, war breaks out in his country and he finds himself caught up in international politics. Because of the war, the Department of Homeland Security won't let him enter or exit the United States. He's trapped at JFK -- indefinitely. While living at the airport, Viktor falls for a flight attendant (Catherine Zeta-Jones). She may have feelings for him too. But what good is love if Viktor can't leave the terminal?

This is what you'd call a "feel good" film. A picture that leaves you feeling warm and positive. Tom Hanks is absolutely lost in the role of Viktor, as he plays a 'fish out of water', clumsy yet loveable character. He's one of the best actors working today by far. Even Stanley Tucci is one of my new favourite performers as he brilliantly and comedically plays the 'by the rules' immigration agent. Even the rest of the cast is brilliant. 

The airport set is magical as I actually thought they shot in an actual airport, although I don't know how they'd manage it. Plus, as the film went by, the airport became it's own character as it felt like 'home', and that was really done perfectly. It felt like a busy, moving place with all the crowded passengers, and Viktor living in it was just pleasing to watch.

 This film is also hilarious as Viktor is a sort of 'Fish out of Water' character, and how he slowly adjusts to the culture and language. The antagonistic force immigration agent "Dixon" is constantly trying to get him out of the terminal by trying to get him to break the law, but he doesn't, and that is done really well. 

Eventually Viktor gains some new friends with their own personalities and are incredibly likeable. Now some unbelievable things do happen, like Zoe Saldana's character marrying someone she hasn't even met was a little odd to be honest. But it wasn't a huge issue. 

Eventually, the people of the airport grow to love him after he lets a passenger get his medicines for his father by lying and saying that it was for a goat. I personally liked that scene. 

Now the love angle was a little unexpected, and didn't feel as necessary to me. But whatever it was, I kinda found it heartfelt and just 'nice'. We grow to learn that Viktor had planned to come to New York for his father. His father had collected signatures from his favourite jazz band, all except one player. And so as tribute to his father, and as a way to deal with the grief of his death, he plans on finding the last player and getting his signature. And he does in the end, which felt fulfilling.

- 3.5/5

Also I was shocked that one of the best Film critic's ever actually loved the film. Take a look. He rates the films out of 4 stars by the way.

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