CAUTION: THERE ARE SPOILERS BELOW FOR THE TERMINAL (2004)

Steven Spielberg is without a doubt one of the most successful, influential, and admired film directors of all time. However, even the best directors have some films that were not equally received or loved by everyone. In a way, Spielberg has three types of films: the spectacular and iconic films that almost everyone likes, the comedies or dramas that don’t quite reach that pinnacle but are still worthy of your time, and then the more family-oriented films that are fun, but not really groundbreaking or especially memorable in most respects.

Regardless of what you think of these films in these comparisons, it goes without saying that something like Hook (1991) is not on the same level as Jurassic Park (1993), or The BFG (2016) is not on the same pedestal as Jaws (1975). These are all good films, but different types and styles , and only a couple of the previously mentioned movies can really be called “great” and award-winning.

One of the films that devoted or casual fans of Steven Spielberg often say is their least favorite of his films or one they just did not enjoy is The Terminal. It’s often labeled as “slow and boring,” and while that seems to be the only real criticism offered, it appears to be enough to prove their point. As a fan of Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and The Terminal, I would argue that this film deserves so much more credit, love, and appreciation than it typically given. But the film is not really slow at all, and far from boring; in fact, there are a lot of things going on to keep momentum in this story.

The film’s ratings on sites like the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) are not exactly pitiful, with a current 7.3 out of 10 stars, but that does not detract from the hate and negative reviews this film regularly receives when coming up in conversation. No, you don’t have another Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) or Schindler’s List (1993) on your hands here, but if we take a closer look, The Terminal certainly has the charm, humor, and sentimentality, delivered in a way only Steven Spielberg can.

It probably helps that this writer is fascinated by airports, with all of the different people you can see and meet, coming and going to various destinations around the world all for different reasons. This impalpable and irresistible energy can give the audience something to grasp onto, but only if they reach out for it.

Part of the audience grumbles about the movie probably stems from the fact that the film does indeed take place in one area the whole time: the airport. This is not the first movie with a setting in one location for its story, and interestingly those other movies do not seem to get this same critique. Granted, we do get to see different areas of this JFK airport, and the outside streets of New York City a couple of times, but for the most part, yes, this film keeps you in one location for the entire runtime of the film. We actually do not see many planes taking off at all. You either have the stomach for it or you don’t. Imagine being stuck in an airport for as long as Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks) was (about nine months). We are stuck in the airport like Viktor, but like Viktor we make the best of it, and discover things in the smaller moments that are bigger and more important than the environment we are inhabiting. Patience is indeed a virtue.

When we finally learn what is in the can of Planters peanuts that Viktor carries around, it provides not only one of the most moving scenes of the movie, but one of the most moving motivations for a character period, when he finally gets to leave the airport and get sax player Benny Golson’s signature at the Ramada Inn for his father. After Viktor is set free into the United States of America, and he breathes in the fresh, cold winter air and we hear the sounds of New York City, he and Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) pause as they see each other in the street, simply nodding at each other in understanding, and it shows how powerful a scene can be without dialogue. What magic.

Of course, we cannot discuss this film without talking about all of the incredible actors and actresses involved. Tom Hanks of course, is Tom Hanks, nothing short of brilliant here, talking in a (fake) “Krakozhian” accent that makes him sound like a different actor altogether, simultaneously giving us expressions and dialogue that we positively recognize. Possible love interest Amelia Warren is outstanding as someone who does not know what she wants, but carries herself as a relatable yet quirky character. Stanley Tucci as Frank Dixon provides a great foil for Viktor Navorski, coming across as the villain when in fact he is just simply trying to do his job as best as he knows how. The supporting cast of Diego Luna, Kumar Pallana, Chi McBride, and Zoe Saldana as Viktor’s friends all give tremendous performances. The amount of people that Viktor’s life and situation has impacted in the story, as evidenced at the conclusion of the film, is quite special.

Can we just take a moment here too, to applaud the musical genius of John Williams? We of course expect nothing less, but here Williams composed another first-rate, award-worthy, emotional score that truly does transport us into Viktor’s world at JFK airport. The clarinet solo highlighting Viktor’s plight and personality, the reflective piano love theme between Viktor and Amelia, everything about this score says John Williams, but still has a different enough flavor to be unique.

Again, The Terminal may not be E.T. (1982) or Saving Private Ryan (1998), but it does, I think, reach the level of a film like Catch Me if You Can (2002), another Spielberg film that, while also not talked about enough, generally receives the high praise it deserves. We don’t get a lot of airport movies or movies that take place for the majority of the time at an airport, but I think if anyone were to ever ask, this is the quintessential airport movie: it is deeply heartfelt and touching, with moments of endearing levity that combine to wrap around you like a warm blanket on a cold, snowy day. It is a Spielberg film that stands out because it’s not his typical fare. It speaks to the human condition, and maybe gives us something to think about as a country, and as people.