My Thoughts on: Terminal (2018)

If you watch enough films, you’ll realize that there are some films that cannot be explained; they have to be experienced. After last night, I’m convinced that Terminal is one of those films. The film can best be described as an extremely twisted take on Alice in Wonderland (as the film is permeated throughout with references to the book). Terminal is mostly set in a train station late at night and follows a mysterious woman named Annie (Margot Robbie); a dying English teacher (Simon Pegg); two contract killers (Dexter Fletcher and Max Irons); and the peculiar cleaner that works at the station (Mike Meyers) as their paths converge in unexpected ways.

One undeniable positive about Terminal is that it looks amazing from start to finish. Based on the noir style, the scenes contain vibrant pops of color set against dark backgrounds (my particular favorite is Annie’s bright red coat). There’s also a wonderful use of neon lighting. On the other hand, I spent most of the film watching this beautiful display of color and wondering what on Earth I was watching. The film’s biggest weakness is it takes a very long time to connect the dots and reveal how these characters are all connected. Now, that being said, once the film does reach this point, things begin to make sense very quickly.

The final twenty minutes of the film are where things really get crazy (and that’s saying something in a film that’s full of crazy moments). Several twists are revealed in succession, from the expected (I pegged one twist about halfway through the film) to the “oh my god I did not see that coming.” In fact there are so many reveals at the end that it’s almost like watching a mini-movie separate from everything that just happened. There was probably a more straightforward way to incorporate these last twists but I can’t complain too loudly because the film made sure to cover every loose end.

If you’re willing to wait for the payoff, Terminal is a very enjoyable film. It’s not perfect by any means, but the flaws aren’t big enough to ruin the experience. If you’ve seen Terminal, what did you think about it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and have a great day!