The Terminal

What saves Spielberg's lastest film from tail-spinning into blatant stupidity and boring predictability is not the big man's directing, nor is it the comedic lead performance from Tom Hanks. It is Stanley Tucci, who plays an on-the-rise airport executive who gets stuck with taking care of Viktor Navorski. He has a substantial part that is essential to the film's plot and Viktor's character development, and thankfully (unlike what you'd usually expect from this kind of Spielberg drama) he is not another case of 'simply evil', but an interesting and decently developed character.

As a Spielberg film, The Terminal is something of a misfire, and a huge disappointment considering his unlimited scope as a director. Not only am I a fan of his, I am a fan of ridiculous and cheesy movies that finish with large crowds of people celebrating - and that is exactly what The Terminal is, so I figured I would enjoy it. But near the conclusion of the film, for some reason Spielberg falls flat on his face and delivers no magical sense of euphoria, only an itching sense of dissatisfaction - you keep expecting a pinnacle moment, but it just moves along at a moderate pace, and then ends.

Hanks is fun as the grounded Viktor Navorski, but feels like he's spoofing his own character throughout and can't be taken seriously. His airport friends are the most likeable personalities in the film, and as usual Spielberg has brought in tremendous underrated talents and break-out stars to take these roles. You might recognise Chi McBride from I, Robot, or Kumar Pallana from the Wes Andersons films, or Diego Luna from Y Tu Mamá También.


But what really destroys The Terminal is Catherine Zeta-Jones. Usually satisfactory in her roles, and especially good in 2002's Chicago (which won her a best supporting actress Oscar), here she is given a dreadful character with even worse lines she is forced to utter. Not that her whiney, irritating portrayel makes things any better.

The true life tale of Viktor Navorski would work well as a documentary, or even a political drama at that. But as an overblown 'romantic' comedy - though admittedly not without its charms - the story just doesn't work, nor was it neccesary for the jazz father storyline to be added in. Much more satisfying ways of finishing off the story could have been found. **1/2 out of 5.