Geoff's Movie Reviews

Steven Speilberg continues to be one of the best and most successful directors in the business largely because of the huge variety of genres that he works in, and the care and skill he puts into each of them. I doubt there's a film genre out there that Speilberg couldn't work with to create an entertaining film.

The Terminal is a "fish-out-of-water" drama/comedy, starring Tom Hanks as Victor Navorski, a citizen of the fictional east-European republic of Krakozhia. While onboard a flight into the U.S., a military coup in Krakozhia essentially wipes the country off of the international political map. Krakozhia no longer exists, and without a home country, Victor can't obtain a visa to enter the U.S., and therefore the only place he can stay without breaking any U.S. or international laws is at the airport where he landed. It's a nifty little conceit, and it provides for a wide variety of funny situations, including Victor's initial efforts to find sleeping accommodations and food, and his eventual discover of a way to make a little bit of money. We also get to meet a bunch of very interesting side-characters, including the airport's head of security, a janitor, an airline food worker, a baggage-handler, a customs official, and a stewardess played by Catherine Zeta Jones (who provides for a nicely un-clich餠romantic interest). Spielberg's great direction gives each of these characters plenty of screen-time and turns them into fully-realized individuals.

The greatest display of talent here, however, belongs to Tom Hanks as the lovable, confused, and slightly sad Victor Navorski. His east-European, quasi-Russian accent is so flawless that he completely disappears behind it (unlike some other big-name stars who try, unsuccessfully, to pull off a foreign accent -- Harrison Ford in K-19: The Widowmaker being particularly guilty). It's a great performance, as Hanks displays more subtle emotions with a fake accent than most actors could without that extra challenge.

The Terminal is a very good little film, in all respects.