There
are gripping, intense movies, and then there’s The Impossible. Juan Antonio Bayona’s film tells the true story of
a family caught in the 2004 tsunami, and it is simultaneously hard to watch and
hard to turn away from. Films centered on real life disasters, especially
recent ones, can be touchy subjects, but The
Impossible simply focuses on the incredible story of the Belon family and
never exploits the ruin. Anchored by stellar performances from Ewan McGregor and
Naomi Watts, the movie transports the viewer to Southeast Asia and never lets
up.
The
opening scenes of calm before the storm are brief, but there is enough
heartfelt emotion to develop the characters in a short frame of time. The Belon
family comes across as a loving family of five who are truly happy to be
together at Christmas in Thailand. It’s not long before the horror that is the
tsunami hits, and one of the more enthralling survival tales in recent memory
really picks up.
For
a majority of the film’s first half, we follow Maria (Watts) and the Belon’s
eldest son Lucas, who are separated from the rest of their family in the chaos.
The two fight through unthinkable turmoil together, and the mother-son bond is
overpowering and intense. Whether it be debris, rushing water, thirst and
hunger, or thoughts of their family, Maria and Lucas weather every obstacle
thrown their way. You will cringe with every injury-ridden step Mara takes, and
your heart will feel for Lucas as he helps her along the way. Young Tom Holland
is fantastic as Lucas, and The Impossible
may represent the launch pad to stardom for him. McGregor’s Henry is with the
other two sons, and it’s terribly heart wrenching to watch the man stop at
nothing to find his wife and son.
In terms of filmmaking, there are
multiple elements that compliment the actors impeccably. The cinematography
truly puts the viewer smack in the middle of the action, and the feelings of
panic and stress refuse to cease. The score perfectly compliments every scene,
and the makeup is some of the more impressive work in recent cinema. The
characters on screen truly look near-death, and their wounds are so realistic
that you can feel the pain.
The Impossible will bring you to tears,
make you want to vomit, and make you cringe in pain, but most importantly, will
make you thankful for the relationships you have in life. The emotion and intensity
on screen throughout the film are unrelenting, and go a long way towards making
The Impossible a truly well done adaptation
of a real life nightmare.
Score: 4/5
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