SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: THE TERMINAL

"THE TERMINAL"
(2004) (Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	*None	Moderate	Minor	Moderate

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	Minor	None	None	*Moderate

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Moderate	Minor	Minor	Moderate	Mild

QUICK TAKE:: Drama/Comedy: A foreigner finds himself trapped in a New York City airport's international travel lounge when his home country erupts in a civil war and the authorities won't let him return or step onto American soil.

PLOT:

Viktor Navorski (TOM HANKS) has traveled from his Eastern European country of Krakozhia to New York City with one purpose in mind. Yet, when his homeland erupts in civil war, he suddenly finds himself as traveler from a country the United States no longer recognizes.

As a result, airport security director Frank Dixon (STANLEY TUCCI) and head security guard Ray Thurman (BARRY SHABAKA HENLEY) try to inform Viktor that he can neither step foot on American soil or return to his homeland. Thus, Thurman takes Viktor to the international lounge, gives him some food vouchers and tells the foreigner -- who barely speaks any English -- that he must stay there until the situation in Krakozhia is resolved.

When Viktor sees footage of the civil war on the terminal TVs, he begins to understand what's occurred. Yet, when he loses his food vouchers to custodian Gupta (KUMAR PALLANA), he must figure out how to survive in this foreign environment. As Frank tries everything in his power to get rid of Viktor -- short of physically escorting him out -- the stranded traveler soon befriends various airport workers as he sets up his home away from home.

There's Enrique Cruz (DIEGO LUNA) who agrees to feed Viktor in exchange for him getting personal information about customs official Dolores Torres (ZOË SALDANA). Baggage handler Joe Mulroy (CHI McBRIDE) eventually convinces Gupta that Viktor is okay, while the latter falls for flight attendant Amelia Warren (CATHERINE ZETA-JONES) who occasionally passes through the airport.

As the days, weeks and then months pass, Viktor repeatedly adapts to his environment and Frank's repeated attempts to thwart him, all while waiting for the situation in his homeland to be resolved and trying to get Amelia to fall for him.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of director Steven Spielberg's work and/or anyone in the cast, it's a good bet they might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For brief language and drug references.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: TOM HANKS plays a foreigner traveler who finds himself trapped at the airport when his country erupts into civil war and thus eliminates his traveling rights. He then proceeds to make the airport terminal his home away from home, befriends the various workers, and tries to get Amelia to fall for him.
CATHERINE ZETA-JONES plays an unhappy flight attendant who's having an occasional affair with a married man and gets to know Viktor with her every passing trip through the airport. She uses some profanity.
STANLEY TUCCI plays the head of airport security who views Viktor as a constant, problematic thorn in his side. He then does most everything in his power to make the stranded foreigner exit the airport and thus be picked up by immigration. He uses some profanity.
CHI McBRIDE plays a baggage handler who befriends Viktor and briefly drinks and smokes.
DIEGO LUNA plays a food service worker who helps Viktor in exchange for him finding out information on Torres with whom he's smitten.
KUMAR PALLANA plays an airport custodian who's initially suspicious of Viktor (since the former harbors a secret), but eventually befriends and assists him.
ZOË SALDANA plays a customs agent who gets to know Viktor since she repeatedly has to turn down his application to leave.; CATHERINE ZETA-JONES plays an unhappy flight attendant who's having an occasional affair with a married man and gets to know Viktor with her every passing trip through the airport. She uses some profanity.
STANLEY TUCCI plays the head of airport security who views Viktor as a constant, problematic thorn in his side. He then does most everything in his power to make the stranded foreigner exit the airport and thus be picked up by immigration. He uses some profanity.
CHI McBRIDE plays a baggage handler who befriends Viktor and briefly drinks and smokes.
DIEGO LUNA plays a food service worker who helps Viktor in exchange for him finding out information on Torres with whom he's smitten.
KUMAR PALLANA plays an airport custodian who's initially suspicious of Viktor (since the former harbors a secret), but eventually befriends and assists him.
ZOË SALDANA plays a customs agent who gets to know Viktor since she repeatedly has to turn down his application to leave.; STANLEY TUCCI plays the head of airport security who views Viktor as a constant, problematic thorn in his side. He then does most everything in his power to make the stranded foreigner exit the airport and thus be picked up by immigration. He uses some profanity.
CHI McBRIDE plays a baggage handler who befriends Viktor and briefly drinks and smokes.
DIEGO LUNA plays a food service worker who helps Viktor in exchange for him finding out information on Torres with whom he's smitten.
KUMAR PALLANA plays an airport custodian who's initially suspicious of Viktor (since the former harbors a secret), but eventually befriends and assists him.
ZOË SALDANA plays a customs agent who gets to know Viktor since she repeatedly has to turn down his application to leave.; CHI McBRIDE plays a baggage handler who befriends Viktor and briefly drinks and smokes.
DIEGO LUNA plays a food service worker who helps Viktor in exchange for him finding out information on Torres with whom he's smitten.
KUMAR PALLANA plays an airport custodian who's initially suspicious of Viktor (since the former harbors a secret), but eventually befriends and assists him.
ZOË SALDANA plays a customs agent who gets to know Viktor since she repeatedly has to turn down his application to leave.; DIEGO LUNA plays a food service worker who helps Viktor in exchange for him finding out information on Torres with whom he's smitten.
KUMAR PALLANA plays an airport custodian who's initially suspicious of Viktor (since the former harbors a secret), but eventually befriends and assists him.
ZOË SALDANA plays a customs agent who gets to know Viktor since she repeatedly has to turn down his application to leave.; KUMAR PALLANA plays an airport custodian who's initially suspicious of Viktor (since the former harbors a secret), but eventually befriends and assists him.
ZOË SALDANA plays a customs agent who gets to know Viktor since she repeatedly has to turn down his application to leave.; ZOË SALDANA plays a customs agent who gets to know Viktor since she repeatedly has to turn down his application to leave.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this dramedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of a number of "s" words (but many are heavily accented words that sound like that word, but aren't) and a slang term using male genitals, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present (involving a flight attendant having an affair with a married man), while a headless mannequin is seen wearing a small bra and panties.

Some bad attitudes are present, some drugs are briefly seen being discovered in a customs check (and another drug related comment is made), while brief drinking and smoking are present. Brief slapstick style material (pratfalls) occurs, while airport security is rough with a troublesome passenger and hold guns on another person. Weapons are fired in a military coup (on the TV news) but no impact is seen.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Joe has a beer.
Frank plays a hunch and then finds small packets of drugs that a passenger was trying to smuggle inside some walnuts.
Enrique, posing as a waiter, starts to pour wine for Amelia (on her date with Viktor), but Viktor takes the bottle from him after he pours too much.
Miscellaneous people have drinks, while we see Viktor holding a beer.
Frank claims that one of the airport workers is bringing in liquor and marijuana.
Some people have drinks in a jazz club.

BLOOD/GORE: None, but we see just Viktor's head over a short stall wall while he sits on a toilet (although we don't see or hear anything else related to such body functions).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Frank comments that it's unusual to see Chinese people coming into the U.S. on their way to Disney who don't have cameras with them (that arouses his suspicions, but some viewers might not like that typecasting).
Frank tries to get Viktor to leave the airport so that other authorities will nab him.
Frank does everything in his power to make Viktor leave and be out of his hair.
Gupta sits, watches and laughs at people slipping on his wet floors (since they don't pay attention to his wet floor signs).
Although we don't know if he's divorced, separated or just cheating, a man occasionally sees Amelia for dating/sexual purposes.
A person tries to smuggle drugs into the country.
Frank grabs Viktor by the back of the neck at a copy machine.
Gupta admits that he stabbed but did not kill a corrupt cop in his homeland who was coercing him for money, and is basically hiding in the U.S.
Frank threatens to fire some workers with less than perfect records or other problems (as a way of blackmailing Viktor to leave).

FRIGHTENING SCENES: An upset foreign passenger holds scissors to his own neck while being detained (and holds security at bay by doing so).

GUNS/WEAPONS: Some cops/security guards wear handguns.
We see footage of tanks and artillery firing on TV during the military coup (but don't see them hitting anything). We also hear the sound of gunfire on the TV.
Airport security holds handguns and automatic weapons on an airport worker who's stopped a plane with his mop on the tarmac.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Oh sh*t," what sounded like "Eat sh*t" turns out to be bad English for "He cheat," "Don't really give a sh*t," "Why the hell..." "Complete nut job," "Nuts" (crazy), "Idiot" and "What the hell is going on down there?"
To demonstrate to Viktor what's happened in his country, Frank slams an apple down onto a closed bag of potato chips, sending the contents flying all over Viktor.
Some kids may be enticed to try to live in a specific place like Viktor does in the film.
Viktor eats "cracker sandwiches" (crackers with condiments between them).
Some workers run Viktor through the airport X-ray machine to appease Gupta's fears about him being wired for secret surveillance.
Amelia and Viktor throw their pagers across the tarmac.
Gupta juggles and spins plates for entertainment purposes.

JUMP SCENES: The sudden sound and light from a jet in an airport lounge at night might startle some viewers.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 3 "s" words (with at least 8 more sounding like that, but apparently being Viktor's thick accent changing how the word "cheat" sounds), 1 slang term using male genitals ("pr*ck"), 5 hells, 4 asses (1 used with "hole"), 1 damn, 3 uses of "Oh my God," 2 uses each of "G-damn," "God" and "Oh God" and 1 use of "Jesus."

SEX/NUDITY: We see a headless store mannequin wearing a small bra and panties.
Viktor talks about Torres' former boyfriend cheating on her and comments on one man and two women, but we don't know if he's meaning just that, or a threesome.
Although we don't know if he's divorced, separated or just cheating, a man occasionally sees Amelia for dating/sexual purposes.
Amelia isn't happy with her affair with that man and says that she just wishes "the sex wasn't so amazing."
While playing cards for unclaimed passenger property, Gupta holds up a pair of panties and claims that they belong to Cher.
Amelia complains that she's used to guys "trying to grab my ass at thirty-thousand feet."
Joe says that flying back and forth messes with female flight attendants' biological clocks, leaving them always ready for sex. He then adds that's why they're always smiling.
Viktor and Amelia briefly but passionately kiss while standing.

SMOKING: Joe smokes once.
Gupta states that he had a tobacco shop in his home country.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: Viktor briefly mentions his father dying before accomplishing a lifelong goal.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Whether something like this story could ever happen in real life.
Civil wars.
Foreign tourists/travelers.
Gupta admits that he stabbed but did not kill a corrupt cop in his homeland who was coercing him for money, and is basically hiding in the U.S.
Airport customs rules and regulations.
Jazz music and musicians.
Honoring another person's wishes and/or goals.

VIOLENCE: A person accidentally hits another person with a pay phone as he spins around while holding it.
Amelia slips on a wet floor and lands hard on it. Later, Viktor slips and falls on a wet floor.
Viktor dumps two young kids from a terminal luggage cart to the floor (a very short distance -- so that he can return it and get the deposit).
Viktor accidentally runs into a plate glass window in a store.
Some guards are rough when grabbing and cuffing an upset passenger.
Frank grabs Viktor by the back of the neck at a copy machine.
Amelia and Viktor throw their pagers across the tarmac.

Reviewed June 9, 2004 / Posted June 18, 2004

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