Waiting? (The Terminal (DVD))

Member Name: cmh4135

Product:	The Terminal (DVD)
Date:	02/01/08 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gentle, feel-good movie

Disadvantages: A bit long for some and probably a "Marmite" film.

Film Only Review

I'm not a great film buff, nor am I that interested in who's in a movie so, if you want a line by line, step by step look at this film then stop reading now. If, like me, you just wonder whether you fancy a film then read on.

The Terminal was shown on TV over Christmas and somehow made it onto my record list to be watched at a more convenient time. To be honest I'm not sure what made me record it in the first place. After all, a film about a man stuck in an airport doesn't really sound that inspiring and there's little to suggest whether it's actually going to be any good, or indeed how 2 hours of "in airport" activity would hold one's attention. I'm glad I did record it though.

Following a military coup in his native country Viktor finds himself trapped in a bit of a legal black hole. Not able to enter the USA on his arrival nor a suitable candidate for deportment by the US authorities he is destined to spend time in limbo. Viktor's honesty and deep-rooted desire to visit New York only serve to hinder. Will he return to his country, will he visit New York and will his dreams be realised?

Although an unusual choice for director Steven Spielberg his touch is evident throughout. Tom Hanks is an excellent choice for Viktor and the character is played in the quasi-bumbling manner that Hanks perfects so well. Leading the ladies is Ms Zeta-Jones. Her role is distinctly inferior to Hanks' but is played well with sufficient depth in her short scenes to have us believe in her character.

An excellent supporting cast (many unknowns, at least to me) help bring the airport setting to life and add credence to the film. Thankfully there's not much in the way of padding which is a credit to Spielberg as it could have been so tempting to confuse what is essentially a movie about waiting with comedic or second-story scenes unrelated to the main story.

There's a light comedic feel to the film and if you like films such as "Catch Me if you Can" then you'll probably like this one. The humour is gentle and slightly quirky lying neatly on top of a "good conquers bad" storyline. I suspect at 2 hours plus this is going to be a film that either engrosses you or bores you. If you require non-stop action or deep-seated romance to hold your attention then this is not for you. If you like a fairly involving, yet gentle, Sunday-afternoon-feel-good-movie then it probably is for you.

Summary: Waiting in an airport can be so dull, what happens if you're stuck there?