Perfectly pleasing production.

Rating: 10/10 (9 October 2004)

Expectancy for the new 'Spielberg' movie nowadays is awash with mixed emotions. Gone are the days when a ticket guaranteed a show unmatched in storytelling, style and bravado. After watching 'The Terminal', Spielberg's 3rd collaboration with Tom Hanks, maybe i feel the magic could be coming back.
I enjoyed 'Catch Me...' and thought 'Minority...' was a flashy overwritten but ultimately enjoyable yarn, but i long for the days of 'Jaws', 'Raiders...' and, yes, even 'ET'. 'The Terminal' as far as i could see, was perfect. The tone was playful and witty, the script knowing without being smug about it. The Direction was outstanding. The production design astounding, and the acting just terrific. Hanks avoiding the label of 'dodgy accent' by pitching his performance just the right side of understated. Zeta Jones, played her smallish role well, and was a fine distraction. Stanley Tucci was a magnificent Officious Obstacle, and made a character which was almost likable out of one which, by a lesser actor, would have been a boo-hiss villain.
The set is amazing, as real as any airport. An amalgamation of every Terminal you've seen in a seamless blend.
The terminal itself is occasionally laugh-out-loud funny.It is romantic and feel-good without veering into schmaltz. The music, which i forgot, was low-key and unobtrusive. There is, in short, no reason to not give this movie a shot.