Terminal is a 2018 neo-noir film.
The paths of a terminally ill suicidal man, a waitress/dancer, two assassins, and a terminal custodian cross in a game of cat and mouse involving local mobster Mr. Franklyn.
Not to be confused with The Terminal
Due to the structure of the plot, as well as a number of twists, all spoilers will remain unmarked.
Who says tropes are a lost art?
- Alice Allusion: References to and imagery from Alice in Wonderland are abundant in this film:
- Annie (or Bonnie) makes reference to needing to be mad as a hatter tosurvive where they live.
- Bonnie works as a dancer at "La Lapine Blanche" (The White Rabbit).
- Wonderland is actually mentioned as the favourite book of the twins, to the point that they can reference any passage on any page from memory.
- Bait the Dog:
- Bill Braithwaite initially comes off as pitiable, until his backstory reveals that he was an abusive teacher who molested Annie and Bonnie as children.
- The Janitor initially seems like a pitiable crook, but he turns out to be the ruthless mob boss Clinton "Mr. Franklyn" Sharp, who runs an assassination enterprise, as well as a man who murdered his own wife, leaving his children orphans.
- Even Bad Women Love Their Mamas: Annie and Bonnie may be ruthless manipulators and killers, but they are acting out of vengeance for their mother's death.
- Femme Fatale: The character(s) known as Bottle Blonde, in reality a pair of twins by the name of Annie and Bonnie, are both attractive, manipulative, wily characters who use guile as a means of avenging their mother:
- Annie plays mind games with the teacher who molested her as a child, Bill, taunting him with the prospect of killing himself, before eventually killing him herself. She also seduces the assassin Alfred, turning him against his partner, Vince.
- Bonnie seduces the assassin Alfred, posing as Annie, continues turning him against his partner, and eventually kills Alfred himself.
- Both twins use their manipulations to eliminate Mr. Franklyn to avenge their mother.
- In Love with the Mark: Based on Bonnie's dialogue, Annie was actually falling for Alfred at the time Bonnie killed him.
- Rape as Backstory: Annie and Bonnie were molested by their teacher, Bill Braithwaite, as children.
- Saw "Star Wars" Twenty-Seven Times: The twins have memorized the novel Alice in Wonderland, and can quote any passage from any page.
- Siblings in Crime: Annie and Bonnie are sisters who work with crime boss Mr. Franklyn in order to eventually betray him as revenge for him killing their mother.
- Suicide Dare: Annie tries to goad Bill into killing himself out of spite for molesting her as a child. When he refuses, she stabs him in the throat herself.
- You Killed My Father: Gender-inversion: Annie and Bonnie are scheming to avenge their mother's death at the hands of their father.