The Terminal2004

56/100 I don't know. I feel like it should be higher, but I can't give this any more than this current rating after watching it. It's objectively good, but subjectively...it's pretty mediocre. Part of the problem here is the actual plot, which is pretty bad when you step back and look at it. There's not nearly enough here for two hours, leading to a movie crammed with subplots while stretching its main plot out in a desperate bid to fill the runtime, to the point where I feel the movie could've benefited from being a good half hour shorter. There are also some leaps in logic here, such as the airport being somehow unable to procure a translator all this time. The terminal itself is also disconnected from reality, feeling like a fantasy realm home to Spielberg's trademark sentimentalism more than an actual location. Speaking of sentimentalism, it's a double-edged sword here with how Spielberg uses it. Credit where credit is due, there are some really good sappy scenes here. The story itself is heartwarming enough, though not enough to thaw my cold, dead heart. However, I also feel it's the film's biggest problem. For every scene in which the sappy stuff works, there's another where I feel Spielberg's just leaning too far into it. I'd say there's more good direction here than bad overall, but the bad stuff really hits. This isn't helped by the fact the movie feels the need to push in a needless romance which ends up going mostly nowhere. If there's a saving grace to this movie, it's the performances. Tom Hanks actually pulls off a great performance as Viktor Navorski, to the point where I almost forgot he's a Caucasian man playing someone from the Middle East. He brings a genuine charm and likeability to the role that helps save some of the weaker scenes. The film also has a good sidecast in his friends at the airport. Shoutout to Mr. Gupta, I love this old man. I also like how Stanley Tucci just plays this guy with weirdly evil energy for seemingly no reason. He makes for a really good villain. Overall, there's a lot to like about this movie, and a lot to dislike as well, and I think they met somewhere in the middle to create a movie which largely made me feel nothing. It's definitely better than some of the other films I've seen so far, but in the end, it ends up just being kind of alright.