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The Terminal
on DVD (2004)
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| Starring: |
Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta Jones, Stanley Tucci |
| Director: |
Steven Spielberg |
| Studio: |
DREAMWORKS HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time: |
129 mins |
| Certificate: |
 |
| User collections: |
That Spielberg feeling, Fab films, Best Movies I've Seen Since November 2006, Fancy A Laugh, Best horror films ever, I'm not apologising, I like them!, My favourite films, The Best Movies I've Seen.......So Far, My favourite films |
| Genres: |
Comedy, Romance |
| Languages: |
English |
| Hearing-impaired: |
English |
| Released: |
31/01/2005
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Brief synopsis of The Terminal
Viktor Navorksi (Tom Hanks) falls into a bureaucratic crack in the system when his plane lands at New York's JFK airport from the fictitious country of Krakozhia. Unbeknownst to Navorski, his country fell prey to a military coup while he was in flight, causing it to be wiped from the map. This effectively renders his passport null and void, meaning he cannot legally enter America, nor return to his now nonexistent home. Barely able to speak English, the hapless Navorski is offered a sanctuary of sorts by kindly staff who allow him to freely inhabit the airport. With little money to his name, Navorski has to quickly shed his feelings of displacement, confusion, and alienation to survive. Fortunately he has a resourceful nature, and makes a meagre amount of money for food by returning baggage carts. As time passes he becomes more comfortable with his surroundings, even finding time to pursue a passing stewardess, Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who has captured his heart. But airport denizens such as customs chief Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci), who is a constant thorn in Navorski's side, remind him of his outsider status throughout the ordeal. Director Steven Spielberg uses the airport setting of THE TERMINAL to represent a microcosmic view of the immigrant experience in American society. Drawing on a fine performance from Hanks, and a supporting cast who provide plenty of laughs, Spielberg handles some delicate subject matter with an acute sensitivity, providing a heartfelt tale in the process.
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All DVDs in this series
Terminal, The - Feature
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Terminal, The - Bonus Features
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Related
Critics Reviews
Radio Times
Viewed as a fairytale about the American Dream, this Capra-esque fish-out-of-water whimsy provides some affecting comedy drama, but it doesn't fully convince thanks to director Steven Spielberg's reluctance to confront harsh realities. Tom Hanks is superb as the Eastern European who becomes trapped in visa hell after a military coup in his native Krakozhia means his country is no longer recognised by the US government. Stranded indefinitely at JFK airport, he learns English from TV, eats leftover fast food, finds work renovating the building, falls for ditzy flight attendant Catherine Zeta-Jones and is harassed by Stanley Tucci's power-hungry official. While the performances are appealing, Spielberg relies too heavily on the airport-terminal-as-microcosm-of-society angle and the saccharine sentimentality gets piled on as the credibility decreases. If you can suspend your disbelief, then great, but if you can't, beware.
Halliwell's Film Guide
Inspired by the true story of an Iranian who has lived in a French airport for more than ten years, this is a sly, observant, upbeat fable of persistence and survival Ð and the eccentricity to be found lurking in unexpected places.
News Of The World
Superb, Tom Hanks at his Oscar-winning best
See all 4 Critics Reviews »
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