Best Film of 2012 Without a Doubt

Rating: 10/10 (28 December 2012)

Based on a true story, "The Impossible" works at every possible level. Its portrayal of a family in distress after the tsunami devastates the island where they are vacationing is terrifying and moving. The audience will feel the horrors of being in the middle of the natural catastrophe and the heartbreak and pain the characters feel when they face death, the possible loss of a child or partner, and the unbelievable journey trying to find each other.
Naomi Watts plays Maria, a mother who is suddenly separated from her husband and two children and must now deal with wounds that threaten her life while trying to provide some emotional support for her oldest child. She gives probably her best performance ever, as we see her dying in front of our eyes, and her eyes convey the helplessness she feels as she begins to realize she might never see her family again. Her spirit is a fighter and she never stops helping others, but it's devastating to see how she is losing her battles in front of our eyes. Thank God for Lucas, her boy, as he keeps giving her hope and now becomes her anchor to life.
Ewan McGregor plays her husband, and he's in the midst of despair, not knowing what has happened to the rest of his family. He, like his wife, must now depend on the kindness of strangers. One amazing scene has him on the phone, breaking down, expressing his deepest fears. It's one of the most heartbreaking scenes I have ever seen in the movies.
The film doesn't hide any of the emotions in any character. There is pain, horror, desperation, and plenty of kindness and love. In fact, the film wouldn't work if this wasn't the heart of the movie. In the darkest of time, strangers can surprise you. There is Daniel, who appears like a little angel and brings a tear and a smile in the middle of the worst of times. We see parents reuniting with their children, and hope is alive again. People reaching out and proving that life is worth living and one must never give up.
Geraldine Chaplin has a small but beautiful scene as she gives comfort to one of the family's children. They look at the stars, using them as metaphors for the beauty and light they give us. They're still with us, even though they might physically be long gone.
There are incredible special effects, transporting us to the middle of the disaster, allowing us to understand the horrors of the tragedy. The make up crew does wonderful work, bringing incredible detail to the hell the hospitals were, and much credit should be given to the music, never overpowering the rest of the film but giving it much soul and atmosphere, keeping up with the best ensemble work of the year.
Where is that Best Picture trophy? If it goes anywhere else, it's time to stop going to the movies.