A must watch movie that will make you appreciate for every single tomorrow of your life!

Rating: 8/10 (26 March 2013)

The story behind the Tsunami of 2004 that took South East Asia by surprise and left her weeping, helpless and angry will never be forgotten. Boxing Day will never be the same again for those families and their relatives who were devoured by the angry waters of the Indian Ocean that morning. To reenact that day in history and to bring to life a story of such mega catastrophic proportions is considered both foolish and wise.
37 year old Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona in my opinion delivers a balanced view of the carnage that took place that day and how it affected both the local and foreign alike. One of the most important issues he balances is the presentation of the suffering of the local islanders and the story line of a family on holiday that is caught in the middle of one of the largest natural disasters to be recorded in our history. He finds this balance in the powerful performances of Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland.
Naomi Watts who was nominated for an Academy Award is indeed performing the role of her lifetime. Hands down she surpasses her previous nomination over a decade ago in 21 GRAMS and bedazzles me with her most heartfelt showcasing. Her characters persona undoubtedly is not only the cry of Maria Bennet; it is the plea of every single mother that saw her family wash away in front of their eyes. I know what this look feels like because on that day I saw that in my own mothers' eyes as the wave hit shores of Sri Lanka where I was travelling by. The only thing lacking in THE IMPOSSIBLE is the lack of screen time for Naomi Watts as her character restricts to be bed ridden with injuries.
The desperate father who would stop at nothing and the 10 year old son who literally carries the weight of his mothers' pains moves the audience. Hollywood star McGregor and new to the widescreen Tom Holland are unbelievable. I would say again; they are unbelievable. Every minute spent in front of the screen is every minute lived in that moment. McGregor's versatility has never been a surprise to the movie enthusiast. He rarely misses what he is aiming for. Although with time I have realized that McGregor fails to rise beyond the others whilst performing brilliantly. This may be the only reason he is yet to be nominated for an Academy Award.
Naomi Watts deserved the Award for Best Actress at the 85th Academy Awards way beyond Jennifer Lawrence and her irritating screaming performance. Ewan McGregor as always meets the expectations. However the actor to watch out for is Tom Holland. He takes on the emotional wand once Watts is bed ridden and he is the best performance I have seen in a young actor in 2012. (I am yet to watch BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD). Holland will not forget this debut motion picture and it's not wrong to assume that he was lucky to have been presented with such a well written character that allowed him to explore the depths of his abilities.
THE IMPOSSIBLE is the story of family based on true events that is on holiday in Thailand at a resort Island when the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake triggered a series of devastating waves along the coastlines of the Indian Ocean. A sunny morning by the poolside with the family turns out to be worst day of their lives when they are swept away with gigantic muddy tsunami waves reaching over 30 meters in height. The CGI dominance will drown you in the reality of this horror whilst the script will resurface you to the light of tomorrow. If you have the patience you will be able to get a glimpse of the photo of the real family that narrates this story as the end credits roll up the screen.
A must watch movie that will make you appreciate for every single tomorrow of your life!
TITLE: THE IMPOSSIBLE DIRECTED BY: JUAN ANTONIO BAYONA STARRING: NAOMI WATTS, EWAN MCGREGOR & TOM Holland RATED: PG 13 RATING: 08/10 RUNTIME: 114 MINUTES