FORREST GUMP II: A rich man's fantasy

Rating: Null/10 (13 June 2004)

THE TERMINAL is something of a metaphor for Hollywood and how people in its top ranks view the rest of the world. Everyone fawns on the white movie stars (Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta Jones, in this case) and the terminal's black, Latino and ethnic working people all serve their every need--not for pay, but out of the goodness of their hearts. It's like a Disney movie where all the animals of the forest stop behaving like animals and decide to join together to tend to the needs of Snow White for no other reason except that she's...the star! There's even a scene where all the workers in the terminal run from their work stations to flock around Hanks and shower gifts on him. Sure, Hanks' character distributes a little largesse now and then, in the form of a favor or two to a couple of the workers, but the quid greatly outbalances the quo. Hanks' character even crafts an elaborate work of art in the terminal--without any interference from airport or construction personnel. So Spielberg has transposed his ideal world (being taken care of and made comfortable without having to pay for the privilege; no front office interference in the creation of one's art; "regular" people helping him court the girl; no emotional lows--only artificially inflated highs; and everyone loving him) onto a supposedly real world setting.

As a result, there is not a single believable human being to be found in this blatantly condescending racial fantasy. Which is too bad because there's at least one interesting character in Gupta, the senior citizen from India who mops the terminal floors, played by an engaging actor (Kumar Pallana) whose performance transcends his director's utter lack of interest in the actual behavior, motivations and nuances of real working people. And there's a very clever and inspired plot twist, revealed late in the film, which belonged in a different, better movie.
However, if, on the other hand, you buy into our prevailing celebrity culture and you constantly crave false "uplift" in your entertainment, then THE TERMINAL is for you.