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Terminal (film)

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Terminal
Theatrical release poster
Directed byVaughn Stein
Written byVaughn Stein
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyChristopher Ross
Edited by
  • Johanhes Bock
  • Alex Marquez
Music by
Production
companies
  • Highland Film Group
  • Hassell Free Productions
  • Mischellanous Entertainment
  • BH RuYi Media
  • Subotica
  • Rapid Farms Productions Limited
  • LuckyChap Entertainment
  • Beagle Pug Films
  • Ingenious Media
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 11 May 2018 (2018-05-11) (United States)
  • 26 June 2018 (2018-06-26) (Edinburgh)
  • 6 July 2018 (2018-07-06) (United Kingdom & Ireland)
Running time
95 minutes[3]
Countries
  • Ireland[1]
  • United Kingdom[1]
  • Hungary[1]
  • Hong Kong[2]
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$626,245[4]

Terminal is a 2018 neo-noir thriller film written and directed by Vaughn Stein. The film stars Margot Robbie alongside an ensemble cast, featuring Simon Pegg, Dexter Fletcher, Max Irons, and Mike Myers. The plot follows the intertwining lives of two assassins, a fatally-ill teacher, a janitor and a waitress, all of whom become part of an evil mastermind's murderous plan.

The film is an international co-production between Ireland, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Hong Kong and the United States. Principal photography took place in Budapest, Hungary during May 2016.

Terminal was released in the United States on 11 May 2018, by RLJE Films. The film premiered in the United Kingdom on 26 June 2018 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival as part of the American Dreams Strand. It was released theatrically in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 6 July 2018 by Arrow Films. The film received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticised the plot, narrative, pacing and direction, though many praised Robbie's performance and the visual style.

Plot

Annie meets Mr. Franklyn in a confession booth, and tells him that she wants to become his sole hitman. She describes how she will eliminate the other hitmen he uses to prove that she can do the job. In exchange for her efforts, she asks if he can find someone for her.

Bill is standing on a deserted train platform, and is told by a limping janitor (Night Supervisor) that no trains will be coming until 4:04 in the morning. The janitor suggests he wait in the 24 hour cafe. There, the waitress determines he has a terminal disease, and is suicidal. She discusses various ways he can kill himself.

A hitman, Illing, is captured by Annie, posing as a prostitute. He awakes to find himself handcuffed to a bed. The waitress climbs on top of him with a knife as she prepares to cut off a body part.

Two hitmen get a tip to retrieve an attache case from the lockers at the train terminal. Mr. Franklyn always calls his hitmen to tell them they are to pick up a briefcase from the lockers at the terminal. They take it to the cafe, and find a pack of matches and an envelope of money. They wonder why Mr. Franklyn has called on them, and not Illing. The match pack is from a strip joint, and when they go there, the dancer they meet is the waitress. She takes the envelope of money as payment for passing on information about the hit Mr. Franklyn wants them to do. She comes on strong to Alfred, but is dismissive of Vince. The hitmen are told to hold up in an apartment, and when they are told, to shoot a person in the window opposite. Vince is also told to then kill Alfred. The waitress tells Alfred that Vince will try to kill him, so Alfred should kill Vince once the hit is completed.

Mr. Franklyn watches from many monitors in his lair. He can see everything in the cafe and the hitmen hideout.

The waitress takes Bill to an abandoned air shaft, and tries to talk him into throwing himself down it. Although he described throwing himself down a deep, dark hole as his final act, he cannot jump. The waitress teases him, and Bill tells the waitress that she is a naughty girl. This triggers a memory from his days as a school teacher, where he had twin orphan girls in his class that he abused. She stabs him in the neck with his pen, and pushes him down the shaft.

Mr. Franklin calls the hitmen's apartment, and says that they should be ready to take the shot. When the waitress appears at the window across the way, Alfred pulls his gun on Vince. The waitress comes over, and they shoot Vince. Alfred and the waitress leave the apartment and run into the janitor, who is arriving to clean up the murder scene.

Back in the terminal, the waitress turns on Alfred, tells him that she is not infatuated with him, and shoots him dead. The janitor comes along to clean up the body. The waitress decides to take the bodies to the top of the air shaft and drop them both into it.

The janitor returns to the terminal, and enters the Janitor Closet which is actually Mr. Franklin's control centre. The janitor removes his prosthetic bad teeth and fake latex skin. He stops limping and walks normally. The janitor is actually Mr. Franklin. There are dozens of attache cases lined up for future jobs. As he leaves his "closet", he is accosted by what is revealed that the waitress is actually a set of twins (Annie and Bonnie).

The twins tie up Mr. Franklin and describe how their mother died. She was being pursued by her partner after witnessing him as a killer and ran back to her flat to protect her twin girls. Her partner poured gasoline down a vent, and set it on fire. The mother had time to push the girls out a broken window, but could not save herself. Her partner is revealed to be a young Mr. Franklin.

The twins tell him that he is their biological father and they are ready to extract their revenge. They lobotomize him, drive a nail into his brain, then walk out of the terminal together.

Cast

Production

Development

On 12 February 2016, it was announced that Margot Robbie would headline and produce a "noir thriller" written and directed by Vaughn Stein, through her production company Luckychap Entertainment.[7] Highland Film Group would be handling finance and introducing the project to international buyers in Berlin. Creative Artists Agency would handle domestic distribution sales in the United States. David Barron of Beagle Pug Films was also attached to the project as a producer.[8] On 24 May 2016, Simon Pegg, Mike Myers, Max Irons and Dexter Fletcher joined the cast alongside Robbie.[9]

Filming

Principal photography on the film began in May 2016 in Budapest, Hungary and lasted over the course of 27 nights.[10] By September 2016, post production was near completion and a rough cut was screened at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival for potential international buyers.[11]

Distribution

Highland Film Group attended the 2017 Cannes Film Festival for selling distribution rights for the film. On 24 January 2018, RLJE Films acquired distribution rights in the United States.[12] Initially, in September 2016, Icon Film Distribution acquired distribution rights for the United Kingdom and Ireland.[13] However, in February 2018, Arrow Films overtook distribution rights.[14]

Release

Terminal received a limited theatrical release and was simultaneously released on Digital HD and through video on demand in the United States on 11 May 2018 by RLJE Films.[15] The film premiered in the United Kingdom on 26 June 2018 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival as part of the American Dreams Strand.[16] It was released theatrically in limited theatres in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 6 July 2018 by Arrow Films. On 9 September 2016, the first official image of the film was released at the Toronto International Film Festival, featuring Robbie in character.[17] On 21 March 2018, a teaser trailer for the film was released,[18] followed by a full-length trailer released on 29 March.[19] In the United Kingdom, an official trailer was released on 25 May 2018 by Arrow Films.[20] The film was released "unrated" in the United States by the Motion Picture Association of America.[21] In the United Kingdom, it received a 15 certificate by the British Board of Film Classification for "strong language, violence, suicide references, threat".[3] In Ireland, the film was given a 16 certificate by the Irish Film Classification Office for "strong violence, injury and language, and suicide theme".[22]

Home media

The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the United States on 26 June 2018 by RLJ Entertainment.[23] It was to be released on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital and On Demand in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 6 August 2018 by Arrow Video.[24]

Reception

Terminal received generally negative reviews from critics, with many criticising the plot, pacing, direction and narrative, though Robbie's performance and the film's visual style and production values received praise. On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 21% based on 60 reviews, and an average rating of 4.1 out of 10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Worth seeking out for only the most hardcore of Margot Robbie completists, Terminal lives down to the medical definition of its title in dreadfully derivative fashion."[25] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 27 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[26]

Rolling Stone's Peter Travers panned the film, awarding zero stars, stating "The title of this wretched Tarantino-meets-Blade-Runner noir rip-off doubles as a diagnosis".[27] Rex Reed of the New York Observer also awarded zero stars, calling the film a "a turgid, pretentious, and incomprehensible existential joke."[28] David Edelstein of Vulture gave a negative review, criticising the plot's focus, saying "since the film doesn’t establish a baseline of reality, it’s hard to pick out a premise."[29] David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave the film a D writing, "Vaughn Stein's Terminal takes a mess of dead tropes and Frankensteins them together into an crime saga that’s in desperate need of brains. And a soul. And a story."[30] Jacob Knight of Birth.Movies.Death. heavily criticised Stein's direction and wrote, "no amount of pretty pictures could save a script this abysmally written. Stein has penned scene after scene after scene of nasty people talking circles around one another, no character defined by anything beyond their comic book-ready aesthetic."[31] Jeffrey M. Anderson of The San Francisco Examiner awarded the film two and a half stars out of four, describing the film as "mediocre", though praising Robbie's performance writing, "Robbie is a bright one, and even though “Terminal” isn’t much, it offers a chance to watch her shine."[32] Clint Worthington of Consequence of Sound heavily criticised Stein's direction, calling the film a "waste of time" and "An entirely empty exercise in dated, exhausting hyper-stylized filmmaking."[33]

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times praised the film, awarding three out of four stars, writing, "The final 15 minutes or so of Terminal are flat-out nutso. One can imagine Robbie, Myers et al., breaking into laughter after hearing "Cut!" — not out of disrespect for the material, but out of sheer giddiness for having the opportunity to try something so audacious. Even when it doesn’t work, “Terminal” is a film with never a dull moment."[34] Kenneth Seward Jr. of IGN gave a mostly positive review, scoring the film a 7.5 out of 10, indicating it is "Good", stating, "Terminal is an interesting revenge story that mostly works. There are a few missteps, namely a few wasted characters and a straight forward plot made needlessly complicated. Still, Vaughn Stein should be pleased with what’s here."[35] Colin Covert of the Minneapolis Star Tribune gave a highly positive review, awarding three and a half out of four stars, praising the film's visual style, noting, "Every moment of "Terminal" engages the eye, and — unexpectedly — the mind. Even the makeup is arresting — the arterial red of Annie's lipstick is hypnotic."[36]

James Berardinelli of Reelviews gave a mixed review, awarding the film two and a half stars out of four, writing "At its best, Terminal is a tasty, tangy parfait – a kaleidoscope of neon-tinged visuals and a twisty storyline with a tortured time line." However, he criticised the film's ending as "generic" and "anticlimactic".[37] John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter gave a mostly negative review criticising Stein's direction, writing, "An airless debut that says much about its writer-director's cultural diet and little about anything else in the world, Vaughn Stein's Terminal blends tropes from several sorts of crime flicks into a soundstagey affair that's more brittle than hard-boiled."[38] Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times also gave a negative review, calling the film a "a flashy, hyperstylized bore."[39] Shaun Munro of Flickering Myth gave a mostly positive review stating, "It’s messy and navel-gazingly ostentatious, but fitfully entertaining thanks largely to a scene-stealing, against-type performance from Simon Pegg."[40]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Terminal". Cineuropa. Creative Europe - MEDIA. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Terminal (2017)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b "TERMINAL (15)". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Terminal (2018)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  5. ^ Jaafar, Ali (12 February 2016). "Margot Robbie To Star In Vaughn Stein's 'Terminal'; Highland Film Group Financing & Selling – Berlin". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d McNary, Dave (24 May 2016). "Simon Pegg, Mike Myers Join Margot Robbie Thriller 'Terminal'". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  7. ^ Ford, Rebecca (12 February 2016). "Berlin: Margot Robbie to Star in Noir Thriller 'Terminal'". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  8. ^ McNary, Dave (12 February 2016). "Margot Robbie to Star in Noir Thriller 'Terminal'". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  9. ^ Busch, Anita (24 May 2016). "Simon Pegg & Mike Myers Join Feature Thriller 'Terminal'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  10. ^ Evry, Max (24 May 2016). "Mike Myers & Simon Pegg Join Margot Robbie in Terminal". ComingSoon.net. CraveOnline Media. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  11. ^ Perry, Spencer (9 September 2016). "First Margot Robbie Photo from Noir Thriller Terminal". ComingSoon.net. CraveOnline Media. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  12. ^ Day-Ramos, Dino (24 January 2018). "Margot Robbie's 'Terminal' Acquired By RLJE Films". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  13. ^ Ford, Rebecca. "Toronto: Margot Robbie's 'Terminal' Sells Around the World (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  14. ^ Collinson, Gary (18 February 2018). "Arrow Films acquires Margot Robbie noir thriller Terminal". Flickering Myth. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  15. ^ Sharf, Zack (21 March 2018). "'Terminal' First Trailer: Margot Robbie Channels Nicolas Winding Refn in This Stylish Neo-Noir Thriller". IndieWire. Penske Business Media. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  16. ^ "Terminal". Edinburgh International Film Festival. Centre for the Moving Image. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  17. ^ Orange, B. Alan (9 September 2016). "First Look at Margot Robbie in Noir Thriller Terminal". MovieWeb. Watchr Media. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  18. ^ Mudano, Mike (22 March 2018). "Margot Robbie in the Trailer for Terminal Gives Us Chills". Paste. Paste Media Group. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  19. ^ Mudano, Mike (29 March 2018). "The Mystery Surrounding Margot Robbie's Terminal Is Revealed in New Trailer". Paste. Paste Media Group. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  20. ^ Cranswick, Amie (25 May 2018). "New UK trailer for Margot Robbie-headlined noir thriller Terminal". Flickering Myth. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  21. ^ M. Anderson, Jeffrey. "Terminal - Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  22. ^ "IFCO: Irish Film Classification Office - Reviews of Terminal". Irish Film Classification Office. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  23. ^ Anderson, Derek (5 June 2018). "TERMINAL Coming to Blu-ray and DVD on June 26th from RLJE Films". Daily Dead. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  24. ^ "Noir-thriller 'Terminal' to be released in cinemas across the UK on 6 July, 2018". The Arts Shelf. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  25. ^ "Terminal (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  26. ^ "Terminal Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  27. ^ Travers, Peter (11 May 2018). "'Terminal' Movie Review: Come Back, 'Suicide Squad,' All Is Forgiven". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  28. ^ Reed, Rex (11 May 2018). "Zero Stars: 'Terminal' Is an Unwatchable Mistake for Margot Robbie". Observer. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  29. ^ Edelstein, David (11 May 2018). "Terminal Isn't Stylish, It's Style-Clotted". Vulture. New York Media. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  30. ^ Ehrlich, David (7 May 2018). "'Terminal' Review: Margot Robbie Is a Mad Assassin in Awful Cross Between 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Sin City'". IndieWire. Penske Business Media. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  31. ^ Knight, Jacob (11 May 2018). "TERMINAL Review: Margot Robbie Slums It With Guy Ritchie Lite". Birth.Movies.Death. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  32. ^ Anderson, Jeffrey M. (10 May 2018). "Margot Robbie gives her movie-star best in mediocre 'Terminal'". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  33. ^ Worthington, Clint (9 May 2018). "Film Review: Terminal Never Adds Up To More Than the Sum of Its Influences". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  34. ^ Roeper, Richard (10 May 2018). "'Terminal' presents an outrageous plot, but eclectic cast makes it work". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  35. ^ Seward, Kenneth Jr. (9 May 2018). "Terminal Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  36. ^ Covert, Colin (11 May 2018). "Margot Robbie's 'Terminal' is the end-all of nasty thrillers". Minneapolis Star Tribune. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  37. ^ Berardinelli, James (11 May 2018). "Terminal". ReelViews. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  38. ^ DeFore, John (9 May 2018). "'Terminal': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  39. ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (10 May 2018). "Review: Revenge Goes Sour in 'Terminal'". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  40. ^ Munro, Simon (7 May 2018). "Movie Review – Terminal (2018)". Flickering Myth. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
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