Comical Romance

Rating: Null/10 (13 September 2004)

In 'The Terminal' Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks), an Eastern European man from the imaginary land of Krakozhia, arrives in New York's JFK International Airport but is not given permission to enter the U.S.
He is informed by the Frank Dixon (Stanly Tucci), the head of the airport, that his country has experienced a coup and that the new government is not recognized by the U.S. so Viktor's visa is no longer valid. Since his visa is invalid Viktor cannot enter the U.S. and because the new government of Krakozhia is not recognized by the U.S., Viktor cannot return to his country. The United States is closed to Viktor so he is only allowed to move about in the airport terminal (hence the title).
Despite having what seems like a boring premise for a movie, the Terminal stays entertaining throughout the film. Viktor is always faced with new problems adjusting to his new life in the airport. For instance, one of the first problems Viktor must overcome is finding food to eat without any American money (his money is worthless now that his country is longer recognized). he comes across a restaurant in the food court where they give away crackers, mustard, and ketchup. Using these materials Viktor creates a sandwich of sandwich compliments to eat. While eating his meager meal, in what seems to be a social commentary on America's wastefulness, Viktor sees people discard half eaten meals, but before he can reach them they are always cleaned up and thrown away by the airport staff as if the airport is meant to starve him.
There are various subplots in this movie that also keep it moving. While it seems almost every character in the movie has some sort of subplot the Viktor becomes involved in, the most notable is a romantic affair between Viktor and a flight stewardess named Amelia Warren (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Amelia is a woman who struggles throughout the film with a relationship with an unnamed married man who is having an affair on the side with her. She knows she is being used but accepts it because she has no one else in her life. She meets Viktor while leaving her gate when her heel comes off of her shoe and Viktor innocently helps her retrieve it. They meet various other times in the movie culminating in a date on the roof of the airport, assisted by the airport staff.
This movie also has an antagonist, someone whose sole purpose seems to be to keep Viktor in international limbo. The villain in this film is a man who seems to be the personification of the State Departments bureaucratic red tape, Frank Dixon the aforementioned head of the airport. Frank Dixon is an up and coming State Department employee who has recently landed the job of head of the Airport from his retiring predecessor. At first Frank is intent on getting rid of Viktor, and this leads to some rather humorous moments with camera following Viktor where ever he goes. But after an incident where Viktor lies while translating for a Russian who needs medicine for his father, Frank becomes intent on never letting Viktor into the United States.
Eventually, the revolution in Viktor's country ends and he is allowed to go back to Krakozhia. But Viktor is not going to go back home without doing what he came to New York to do. In this he is assisted by Amelia who is able, through less than respectable ways, to attain a temporary visa into the United States for her friend Viktor. After doing what he came to do Viktor tells the cab driver, who also is an immigrant that he is going home.
This movie is paced very well and is both romantic and funny. There seems to be a repetitive Russian theme to the music. The cinematography cleverly manages to capture the strangeness, and size of an international airport from the eyes of a Krakozhian by spinning the camera around Viktor to show the immensity of the airport terminal. The acting is right on target with both Catherine Zeta-Jones and Tom Hanks totally convincing the audience of their new personas despite having been in so many other well known roles. Overall the movie was excellently directed and I would have expected nothing less from the director that brought us Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, and E.T. the Extra Terrestrial.
I enjoyed this movie and was never once bored despite what may seem to be a boring premise. This film was excellently directed and well acted. It manages to be romantic and funny while also providing a social commentary on the way America appears to the world.
3.5 out of 5 stars