Terminal: goo, but somewhat mysterious

Introduction to Terminal: goo, but somewhat mysterious

It's a rather goo and strange film; it draws you in and then pulls you away, so you don't want to continue. Then it takes you into another mysterious event, leaves you again, and in the end, you say, "Is that all there is to it?"

You could never call it an extremely thrilling and mysterious film, but it could have been were it not for the awful script, which initially stifled its bizarre opening. The café, in particular, was a ludicrous magnet for all sorts of killers.

Then there are the hired assassins themselves, with their ever-present naiveté, as if they never suspect anyone around them, casually sitting in the café and discussing their upcoming crimes.

There wasn't enough serious effort to distinguish the film's elements and events; rather, it transcended all of that, relying on its strange ambiguity until it finally reached its conclusion and clarified everything.

I watched it solely to reach that ending, which I found somewhat successful in surprising me and in clarifying connections among the characters and the reasons behind the events.

Revenge intelligently

It's possible to manage things that way, but you have to make sure the other party is also intelligent. They won't let things slide and simply surrender while you carry out your revenge.

The worst thing about the film was its execution and the lack of any sudden twists or turns. It felt like stagnant water, its course unchanged until it reached its destination.

Despite some good points of mystery and a few moments of suspense, the film was superficial and lacked excitement or a compelling plot. It left me feeling frustrated because it felt incomplete and had the potential to be better.

The characters were also confused and riddled with exaggerated weaknesses, lacking the necessary intelligence and insight.

Terminal aimed to present a case of revenge with intelligence and mystery, but it only managed to deliver mystery.

The Empty City

The city was deserted, the streets empty, the stations empty. The only people I saw were at the casino, and a very few at the café. Strangely, there was no daylight; everything happened at night, a time when crime was easily committed. I truly don't know why.

If things had unfolded naturally, it would have been better because the presence of people is a significant obstacle that adds realism and greater impact. But Terminal decided to completely isolate the main characters from the world to carry out their acts of revenge.

The place the father frequented—I don't know what it really was, a secret hideout or a well-known location—was watched by everyone, given its elaborate and conspicuous setup. Even stranger was its proximity to the station, perhaps even its very heart.

I imagined that this emptiness extended to the actors and the entire crew, from the director to the cinematographer. I couldn't help but imagine that there were incredibly strong barriers keeping people from appearing in the film.

Performances with the end

As for the acting in the film, it's somewhat convincing, though not exceptional. The father's role, or rather the station worker's, was good and somewhat unusual, while the rest were conventional, simply performing what the role required.

The locations are strange and have a slightly gloomy feel, and the film's colors are generally good, as are the costumes.

There are no strong or memorable dialogues, although the film tried hard to achieve this by taking other films as models, such as Saw or Sin City.

The ending, despite its surprise, was delivered coldly and understatedly, like throwing two or three drops of ice water at someone expecting a snowstorm.

The final act of revenge was devoid of emotion, as if human machines had been brought in to carry it out, and it only stuck with me for a few seconds. It needed at least something better, something that would make the film memorable.

In my opinion, Terminal doesn't deserve more than five stars, solely because of its final twist, and for no other reason.