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The Terminal is one of those films that you will either love or hate because of the story and the characters within it. As far as I'm concerned, I absolutely loved The Terminal and I have been criticised of why I love it but I can't help but feel that way about it. It is a really funny, dramatic and love story that is really heartwarming. It is a rather weird film as well because a man ends up stranded at an airport and is forced to live there until he can get to where he wants to go to. This is a film that is just for entertainment particularly for an evening like a Saturday night or something. I don't completely know why I love this film, I just do. This is an extremely underrated work not only from Tom Hanks but from Steven Spielberg and Catherine Zeta-Jones too. I remember watching this on TV on Boxing Day 2007 and it became a real treasured film to me that I enjoyed from start to finish. The Terminal is a film experience that will take you on an adventure beyond any other I've ever seen.
Tom Hanks' performance as Victor Navorski actually surprised me. Obviously Tom is my favourite actor and has delivered top notch performances every time but this one is one that I was predicting I would be disappointed by but I was wrong. He was actually really good. Victor is a middle aged eastern European man who is travelling to New York City but because of his foreign culture and that he doesn't have any rights regarding paper work and he has to stay at the airport until he can become free and can leave the airport. So when there he has to make a living by making himself a little house, a bed and eating at the restaurants in the airport. Hanks' performance is another very different performance but he didn't disappoint me at all. The closest similar character Victor is to any other Tom Hanks character is Chuck Roland in Cast Away because he is stranded as well except that's on an island whereas Victor is inside an airport. I thought his eastern European accent was pretty funny in some moments. I wouldn't call it hilarious but one that has a few light laughs. Catherine Zeta-Jones was good as well as Amelia Warren. Amelia is making her way through the airport by travelling with her lover and when she meets Victor they start to become close to each other and slowly become more than friends as the time gradually goes on. It isn't the best combination in the world and it isn't the worst either.
To me, The Terminal makes it feel like Steven Spielberg is taking a bit of a break from making Oscar winning masterpieces such as Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, E.T. and Indiana Jones. I think The Terminal, Catch Me If You Can, War Of The Worlds and Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull are the modern day Steven Spielberg films that are just for entertainment. Spielberg goes from epic dramas like Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan to a romantic comedy like The Terminal. As I said, The Terminal is Spielberg's most underrated film to date and that he didn't earn very much credit for his work.
This is Steven Spielberg's sixth best film after Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, E.T., Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The lost Ark and Jaws. The Terminal is Tom Hanks' fifth best performance as well after Forrest Gump, The Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan and Cast Away. This is the latest Tom Hanks-Steven Spielberg collaboration and The Terminal is the second best after Saving Private Ryan. The Terminal is a fun entertaining piece of filmmaking that I absolutely loved from start to finish. To me, it is a masterpiece and I have had people ask me why I say that but can't help but love it. It is a very regular piece of entertainment!!
8/10
