The Terminal Movie Analysis

The Terminal
The prodigious journey to America has been a constant dream over the last few centuries. Whether in the hopes of finding better employment or to escape from various hardships, America has always presented the opportunity as being ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’. However, in resent years this dream has been marred by mounting fear and apprehension of the unknown. The constant prevalence of ever growing terrorism, which in itself feeds on fear and ignorance has figuratively lead suspicion to amputate this countries once open arms.
In a strange way, Victor Navorski’s long and obstacle packed journey relates closely to the journey many early settlers must have experienced. Just like Victor Navorski journey, the early

settlers would have had to endure through many months of a grueling and treacherous journey with constant anxiety about whether or not they would be able to reach their final goal. However, contrary to early settlers, Victor Navorski’s journey is different because in his case the apprehension is not only felt one-way. As both Victor Navorski and the airport authorities are equally suspicious of each other.
Suspicious, mistrust, lying and manipulating the truth are a constant theme throughout the movie. From Gupta’s initial fear that Victor Navorski is a spy. To Frank Dixon impressive ability to fish for a crook, or even Amelia Warren’s admitting to deceiving people about her age are just a few examples the movie portrays. In the initial part of the movie, the audience is constantly remind that trust is not a valid commodity in America and that only documents can be trusted. However as the movie develops it proves to the audience that in fact it is the opposite as trust is the only thing that holds society together and documents are just a physical representation of trust.
However, the main message behind the movie The Terminal may not essentially be mistrust.

Another key aspect the movie ‘Terminal’ looks into is the social dynamics of today’s society. With special emphasis on world citizenship. I don’t believe that because Victor Navorski was held in the terminus of the JFK airport, implies his world citizenship. Neither does the fact that he no longer possesses citizenship to a legally identifiable country make him a world citizen. However, Victor Navorski odd circumstance does open a hypothetical portal into the partially isolated society of the airport. Where everybody except Victor Navorski is technically an American, yet their citizenships status offers little to do with who they actually are. Each character represents a subset of the US population that is divided by economic or social classes. Thus the movie implies that citizenship to a specific country is practically irrelevant when compared to things that are actually universal across nationality, race, religion, cultures and even economic background. Such as love, fear, anger, frustration and hope. Interestingly, as the movie develops, all characters are able to slowly empathize with each other’s circumstances. Thus the movie advocates for a society that represents world citizenship by not being bound by ignorance and fear of the

unknown.