The Not Impossible

Rating: Null/10 (22 February 2013)

The best things about Juan Antonio Bayona's 'Lo Impossible' is the beautiful cinematography and the performances. The start is quite the cliché: 'pretty' blonde tourists enjoying a Thai beach resort but once the catastrophe takes over the film takes a different turn. This is when Oscar Faura's photography shines. Credit must be given to the visual effects, art, makeup, costume, sound and lighting departments for doing a terrific job in creating the authentic look. The score is effective in most places. Naomi Watts delivers another transcendent performance. Great acting is expected from her and she does an amazing job. Tom Holland completely holds his own especially in the post-catastrophe scenes with Watts (notably the one where mother and son are wading through the bamboo trees). Ewan McGregor does a decent job and the two other child actors are great.
Based on real survivor Maria Belon's story, Sergio Sanchez's screenplay does reflect the stories one has heard from survivors. Bayona mostly does an adequate job. I did find the reunion sequence a bit too dramatic, slightly unrealistic and a tad rushed (as if Bayona was pressured to finish the film here). Even though the film runs longer than the traditional 2 hours, it moves at a fine pace (with the exception of the aforementioned sequence).
In spite of the flaws, 'Lo Impossible' is certainly worth the viewing for the performances, the way its filmed and for telling the story of survivors (albeit that certain liberties were taken - presumable to draw a more global audience).