Written by Raffman - July 1st, 2004
Terminal, The (2004)
Starring: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chi McBride, Stanley Tucci, Diego Luna
Director: Steven Spielberg
Rated: PG-13
Rating: * *
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Nobody likes being stuck in the airport. Usually people get stuck when they're flight is delayed, but for Tom Hanks that is not the case. Playing a foreigner from an eastern European country called "Krakozia", Hanks finds himself stranded at a New York airport because his plane landed precisely the same time as his country literally ceased to exist. When his government was overthrown, the United States refused to recognize it, leaving Hanks without a legitimate passport or ID which meant he had to remain in the airport's international lounge until it was. Well, two hours later(or nearly a year movie-time) his country is recognized by the United States and he's set free.
If you have ever seen the movie K-PAX with Kevin Spacey, then you might experience a little "deja-vu". Both K-PAX and The Terminal contain similar stories although it may be hard to see at first glance. Both feature a character that is "stuck" in a certain place under strict supervision. Albeit one of those characters is an alien, but just follow with me for a sec. Both of these characters also are very unfamiliar with their captor's culture; both of them not knowing the english language very well nor its customs. Third, both characters play the character that all the other characters fall in love with. For example in K-PAX all the other patients are infatuated with Spacey's character, and are all vying for a chance to go back home with him. In The Terminal all the other store-owners in the airport feel the same way becase Hanks is around all of them twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Moving even deeper, in both movies there is always that one character who is constantly at odds with them, until finally giving in at the end. In K-PAX it was Jeff Bridges and in The Terminal it's Stanley Tucci. Now although these two films have similar stories, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Although to me it made the movie very predictable; almost streamlined even.
While this is an enjoyable date movie, it really isn't much more than that. There are many continuity problems throughout the film, and quite a bit of the storyline is pretty far-fetched. While Hanks does a great job filling a role of an eastern European, it's not enough to surpass the weak storyline. Even Catherine Zeta-Jones' sluttiness can't save it from the land of mediocrity. Bad news Bears.
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