The Impossible is truly horrifying in a good way

Rating: 8/10 (4 January 2013)

"Watts and Holland are two of the most important parts of the film and them plus everything else going on in the film is what makes the film as great as it could have been based on a true story"
Just over 8 years ago the world was shaken when off the coast of Thailand a massive tsunami hit that ruined the lives of millions of people. This film focuses on the Belon family went on a Christimas holiday to Thailand. On the day after Christmas the coast was rocked by a massive tsunami. The rest of the film shows the tragedy that came from the disaster and in the main family we see Maria (Naomi Watts) and her son Lucas (Tom Holland) be separated together from Henry (Ewan McGregor) and their two other children Thomas (Samuel Joslin) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast).
No one who was caught in this disaster could really know how it felt to be pushed and pulled by the giant waves but I believe this film does a good job at recreating what it might have been like. Juan Antonio Bayona's direction of the film is great especially in the scenes where Lucas and Maria are pushing and pulled by the waves because it looks so real and is heart breaking. Bayona's choice to film those wave scenes in a big water tank was smart because without using a green screen the actors look more like they are really struggling. The story throughout is heartfelt but some scenes do not seem believable but when the film shows us the relationships between the characters that is where the film shows how great it is.
Naomi Watts plays Maria Belon and she was as amazing as she always seems to be. She is so great throughout the film and really is the heart and soul of the film for me because she made me feel emotional through her performance. Her character goes through the worst tragedy that we mainly focus on and by the end of the film when she must be physically hurt and lie down on beds she plays those just scenes just as well as her early scenes. Ewan McGregor plays Henry Belon and even though he is the film less then Watts he does get some scenes that show off his acting skills very well. In one of his particular scenes when he rings home he just makes you cry as his character finally breaks down. Tom Holland plays Lucas and he is just as great as Watts and while he does not have to go through such physical acting as Watts he is just as great as she is.
The film was very moving for me overall through the performances and stories told. Even if the film is tragic throughout when the family have their reunion at the end it is earned but also uplifting this this horrific true story.
MOVIE GRADE: A- (MVP: Naomi Watts)