Harrowing

Rating: 9/10 (4 January 2013)

What happened in Thailand was truly a nightmare. One that I didn't really think about until I saw this film. The Impossible is a harrowing sometimes too intense emotional journey that although flawed has a truly powerful impact. Naomi Watts in a stellar performance and Ewan McGregor solid as well star as the parents of 3 young boys on vacation in Thailand when the Tsunami hits. The initial impact when the terror happens is daunting to say the least and handled with a suspenseful hand akin to Spielberg's in Jaws. The film that follows that scene is at times emotionally manipulative and frustrating in some spots but the overall effect is successful. What happened there was awful but the fact that this family survived is truly a miracle. Visually the film is gorgeous with tracking shots of the event, slow motion sequences that are breathtaking and lighting that really illuminates the emotions behind the events being depicted. It's a strong film from Director Bayona who made his mark with the brilliant horror film The Orphanage you can see shadings of the genre here with some questionable but intriguing directorial touches. All in all it's a great first film of the year and I really hope it sets a benchmark for the films to come. 4/5