Wildly uneven film that starts off well but peters out too early

Rating: 5/10 (31 January 2017)

Not a terrible film by all means, but one where it is easy to see why it would polarise viewers (as evident in the user reviews here) and why there are those considering it a lesser Steven Spielberg film.
'The Terminal' is not Spielberg's worst film, to me 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park', '1941' and 'War of the Worlds' (which had a very good first half and completely fell apart halfway through and never recovered) are worse. Ranking it in his filmography, it is nowhere near close to being one of his best and while not rock-bottom to me it is lesser Spielberg.
Starting with 'The Terminal's' merits, the production values are top-notch and Spielberg regular Janusz Kaminski's cinematography is once again beautiful and a major plus. While not some of his best work, John Williams' score is pleasantly understated and slick without over-emphasising the mood.
Of the performances, which mostly are good, Tom Hanks makes a valiant effort in the title role and does an excellent job on the most part and Stanley Tucci clearly enjoys himself as Dixon. Hanks and Tucci's chemistry is where 'The Terminal' is particularly strong. The supporting cast are good, and Kumar Pallana is quite a scene-stealer (though the wet floor stuff does get over-used and repetitive).
'The Terminal' starts off well. The story is intriguing, there is a razor sharp satirical edge to some of the comedy and there is an affecting whimsy.
However, 'The Terminal' is hurt by the second half being nowhere near as interesting and Spielberg himself (regardless of his technical mastery) playing it too safe with a subject matter that should have been executed in the film more sharply and harshly. There is too much emphasis on the airport-terminal-as-microcosm-of-society angle and it just doesn't work because of how tentatively and safely the subject is approached.
Credibility rapidly decreases and gets increasingly strained and too often replaced by the sentimentality going into saccharine overload. Really could have done without the romantic subplot, that was not necessary, felt like thrown in padding and was completely underdeveloped and featured far too much. The lack of chemistry between Hanks and Catherine Zeta Jones doesn't help, nor does despite her beauty Zeta Jones being so bland in a role that gives her practically nothing to do. The characters are also far too neatly black and white with stereotypes that won't bode, and actually hasn't boded, well with some.
Overall, wildly uneven that had potential to be good but doesn't ever fully convince. 5/10 Bethany Cox