Powerful, effective, emotional and thriller

Rating: 8/10 (11 March 2013)

I really didn't know what to expect from The Impossible. I sort of thought it might end up being more of an art-house film with a lot of symbolism and bizarre cinematography. I really only thought this because of Naomi Watt's Oscar nomination in the role. I didn't think a typical "disaster" flick would get a nomination. I was incorrect. The Impossible actually is more of straight up disaster flick but with more power and emotion and the basis on real life factored with how fresh this is in everyone's mind makes it even more powerful. I don't mean to downplay it by calling it "just a disaster flick", but it doesn't have any of the symbolism or art-house qualities I was worried it would have because I really believed that would have ruined it. There were two scenes in the film that I thought tried to channel that and they seemed odd and out of place. Also Naomi Watt's nudity in the film is completely pointless and blatant. It seems as though because Watt's does nudity they felt it necessary to force it in there. It distracts from the point of the movie. Those two scenes and the brief nudity aside the film is brilliantly done and incredibly powerful pulling on your heartstrings nearly from beginning to end.
The cast is really quite amazing. Naomi Watts does an amazing job at making you feel everything her and her family is going through and you will ache for her and feel her pain. She plays the part flawlessly and proves what a great actor she is. She deserved her nomination which went mostly overlooked. Ewan McGregor does a great job as well, playing the relentless father and husband desperately searching for his family. McGregor doesn't give the strongest performance in the film but I know he's a great actor and he is still great in his role. Their three kids played by Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, and Oaklee Pendergast went completely under-appreciated. If anyone deserved an Oscar nomination it should have been Tom Holland who was simply breathtaking in his role as the eldest son dealing with losing his family and caring for his dying mother. He had several scenes that were awe inspiring for a young actor. Same could be said for Joslin and Pendergast who are so young and yet brilliant in their roles. The five of them have such incredible chemistry and you will completely believe their family bond which is so important for this movie.
The only other film I recognize from Juan Antonio Bayona is The Orphanage and I have not seen that yet. Still, from this movie alone I am inclined to believe he is a truly talented director. He takes on a very fresh wound in making a film about the Asian Tsunami but it never once feels like its taking advantage of its victims, minimizing what happened or exploiting the situation. The cinematography is stunning and the initial scene of the Tsunami is literally gut wrenching. Your stomach sinks and you feel terror seeing that incredible wave coming towards them. Of course nothing compares to the real situation which was devastating and horrifying but this really does put it into a perspective we might not have seen before. I felt the film really did chase the good cry angle meaning they really play up the tearful reunions by saturating the latter half of the film with it but it works so what can I say about that. You won't be disappointed at all, but be warned that its not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. It certainly goes for the jugular when trying to shock you with certain scenes of violence and gore and Tsunami torn countryside but once again, it works. 8.5/10