The Terminal film analysis

           

THE TERMINAL

            First of all, I’ll show you the plot diagram of the film titled “The Terminal”, so you can figure out about the film that I have watched before.

Now, I’ll explain it to you. Let’s start from introduction; In this part of the film told us that Viktor Narvoski, the one who came from Krakozhia flight to New York, US is just want to fulfill his father’s dream. That is getting the autograph of jazz saxophonist “Benny Golson”. Now, I’ll told you about the raising action. There are 5 raising actions in this film. First, when he landed in JFK airport(number 1 airport in America), unluckily at the moment he landed, his country is in civil war, revolution. So, his passport and visa is no longer valid. He trapped in the terminal, because he can’t get in to NY nor go back to Krakozhia. Viktor like trapped in the twilight zone. Second, he couldn’t speak English well. So, he got trouble in communication. Third, when he came to the airport at the first time, he don’t have any friends out there and the people surrounding suspect him as a bad guy ,CIA, or spy. Fourth, he got trouble with daily life, it shows when Victor tried to survive in the airport after he lost his food cupons. He tries everything to get food and restroom, some of his effort is by modifying the gate to be better place to sleep, and work as trolly collector to get money to buy some food. Fifthly, Amelia, gave him one-day emergency visa in order he can meet Benny Golson.

Now, we go to the climax. I think the climax is when he has to get Dixon’s signature to valid his one-day emergency visa. Because in this part of the film Viktor has a difficult choice to choose, Dixon giving him 2 options, he’ll signing Viktor’s one-day emergency visa but Viktor’s friend, Gupta (the cleaning service of the airport also men wanted by the police) will be deported and his other friends will be fired. Or leaving NY (back to Krakozhia) so Dixon will let Viktor’s friends stay. He is so confused in this part, he must choose his friends or complete his father’s collection. Ok, this is enough for the climax and let’s go to the falling action, I found there are 5 falling action in this film. First, his English isn’t good so he realize that he must learn more about English so he bought 2 books which is the first book use Russian language and the second use English language. Second, he met Enrique Cruz the one who still fall in love with CBP officer, Delores. He will give food to Viktor but on one condition, Viktor must deliver his message to Delores. Third, when Victor help someone as interpreter for him when the security of the airport tried to criminalized him by suspect of drugs policy, and finally Victor supported by people there, who realized that Victor is a good man. Fourth, when Viktor’s friends told him that the war in Krakozhia has ended. Fifthly, I think this is the most great falling action when Gupta stopped the airplane even though just with a mop, but it really help for Viktor because the plane that he should take to go back to Krakozhia has delayed. So many people escorted him to go outside of the airport (gate to new York city) to get Beny golson’s signature whom his father’s idol. Ok,  4 parts of the plot has done, now I will told you the resolution, the resolution is so touching here when Viktor arrived at RAMADA INN, 161 LEXINGTON AVENUE. He listening to the impressive saxophone performance by Benny Golson and then he got his signature, and his father’s collections, complete. He is so happy because he can fulfil his father’s dream after his long entire unexpected journey.

            The second paragraph I will told you about the archetypal elements of “The Terminal” film.  We talk about setting first. Gate 67, I think it is the waste land because nothing is growing here and here isn’t Viktor destination but it also the castle for Viktor because in this place Viktor felt safe. And the paradise, I think the paradise is Ramada Inn, 161 Lexington Avenue because he can fulfil his father dream in this place. So, I think this place is the best place for Viktor.

 Symbol, I found 4 symbols in this movie. First, the can. The can is a symbol of Viktor’s father’s dream in this movie, because the can contain all the autograph which belong to his father’s collection who really interested in jazz music. Second, Viktor itself, it is a symbol of honest person and not a surrender. It shows when Viktor always come to CBP officer (in the part before he meet Enrique) even though his green form always been denied. Third, the security system, it is a symbol of the rule, symbol of the firmness. Fourth, The Terminal, I mean the airport (JFK airport) it is a symbol of the gate because the main problem in this film is how to get out from the airport, and the airport is the gate of Viktor’s father dream, Viktor only can fulfil his father dream by go out from the terminal.

And the character, I think Viktor is the professor, he can faced all the problems well. He use his intelligent, it shows when he became an interpreter, when he lost his meal coupons, he works as trolly collector, modified gate 67 so he can sleep right there, etc. Viktor also the everyman too I think, he just an ordinary and normal person, not particularly strong, but he can be a hero, it shows when he helped Russian people when Dixon asked him to interpreting, etc. And Gupta Rajan, Joe Mulroy , Enrique Cruz I think they’re Viktor’s best friend, they always belong to Viktor’s journey, and they like to help Victor, like when Viktor want to make a date with Amelia, they guys give Viktor their best. And they come along together even though in the first time they suspected Viktor as a bad guy. And for the tyrant, I think that Frank Dixon is the tyrant because he has manipulated his environment, and he usually controls everything in the airport. And for Amelia, I think she is belong to the tomboy, she is an active female character, she is strong, though not physically but she can hold everything by herself. It shows when he must start over again a relationship with someone who’s been married for the sake of getting one-day emergency visa for Viktor.

            And in the last paragraph, I’ll told you about the conflict. But I will tell you only about the conflict of the main protagonist character (Viktor). First, Viktor against himself it shows when he was told by Dixon when all the security take a rest, he could go to New York , but it just in that time, but Viktor didn’t want to do it because he knew if it against the rule, so he keep staying . And when Viktor was giving options by Dixon about leaving New York and Dixon will let his friends stay or going to New York but Gupta will be deported. Second, Viktor against the society is happen when Viktor living in the terminal at the first time and all of the people who work there hardly accept Viktor existence because they thought if Viktor was a spy, CIA, or a bad guy. And also when Viktor help a Russian, it’s against the security system because if someone carried medicine without MPL, it prohibited by the security system in the airport.