Terminal is a gripping thriller based on revenge. Two assassins carry out a sinister mission and a teacher battles a fatal illness. An enigmatic janitor and a curious waitress lead a dangerous double life. At the hands of a mysterious criminal mastermind, all of their lives become intertwined with murderous consequences.
It is packed full of twists, very dark humour and a truly shocking ending. If you are getting tired of the same old type of movie and are looking for something a bit different, this art noir thriller certainly offers that. This intimately filmed indie movie is full of visual delights that create a great theatrical piece with a comic book style and could become an indie classic.
The movie is written and directed by Vaughn Stein. The whole style of the film has a unique, bold and eccentric delivery that is similar to the style of Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
The film was shot in Budapest which helped create a dystopian neon world. That ensures a completely unique setting creating a dark atmosphere throughout the whole film.
Stein has done a great job with the script that is laced with twists and unexpected turns throughout. It also gives true focus on each character with brilliant dark humour that slices through each theatrical scene.
The cast is very limited and most of the screen time is soaked up by five key characters. The viewer is exposed to each of them in a direct and intimate way so the casting was key to the film. Margot Robbie takes the lead role and delivers an amazing performance that displays just how diverse her skills have become.
She delivers to perfection whilst leaving the audience deeply uncomfortable with some extremely unnerving psychotic expressions. There's a hint of Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad (review here) in her performance.
Simon Pegg is great at playing a terminally ill teacher. He gives a powerful performance of a desperate man staring death directly in the face. Dexter Fletcher and Max Irons bring a feel of Lock Stock to the film playing two hitmen and deliver their comedic double act perfectly.
Mike Myers (The Pentaverate) provides a strange multi-dimensional performance that is questionable at first. But by the time the final scene is over, his role becomes much clearer. His contribution to this film really adds to its uniqueness.
Overall Terminal is not your everyday run of the mill movie but that is its appeal. Also, this is not a movie for the kids!
The dark humour is overlaid with lots of violence that is quite shocking at times. But if you are looking for a unique film, with a great cast, fantastic cinematography and a very twisted tale, you will love Terminal – personally, I can see this becoming an art house classic and I loved it.
