Rated
PG-13 (Intense Realistic Disaster Sequences, including Disturbing Injury Images
and Brief Nudity)
Running
Time: 1 Hour & 54 Minutes
Cast-
Naomi
Watts-Maria Bennett
Ewan
McGregor-Henry Bennett
Tom
Holland-Lucas Bennett
Samuel
Joslin-Thomas Bennett
Oaklee
Pendergast-Simon Bennett
Marta
Etura-Simone
Sönke
Möhring-Karl
Simon
Blyberg-Ferdinand
Christopher
Alan Byrd-Dieter
John
Albasiny-Oliver Tudpole
Johan
Sundberg-Daniel
Jan
Roland Sundberg-Daniel's Father
Douglas
Johansson-Mr. Benstrom
Emilio
Riccardi-Morten Benstrom
Geraldine
Chaplin-Old Woman
Ploy
Jindachote-Caregiver
Directed
by Juan Antonio Bayona
 |
| Naomi Watts delivers a powerful performance in "The Impossible," a dramatization of one's family battle for survival during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. |
Despite
all the tragedies our world faces every day, no other force on Earth can
compare to the catastrophic and indiscriminate wrath of Mother Nature. On the
morning of December 26, 2004, a massive tsunami (the result of an undersea
megathrust earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8) struck the coasts of Southeast
Asia, leaving behind untold amounts of property and infrastructure damage in
its wake as well as over 280,000 casualties, with a further 1.7 million
displaced. Given Hollywood's penchant for wanton destruction with films like
"The Day After Tomorrow" and "2012," it's easy to become
desensitized since we know in the back of our minds that what we're seeing on-screen
isn't real but director Juan Antonio Bayona's "The Impossible" shatters
that fantasy in this dramatization of one family's battle for survival in the aftermath
of the Indian Ocean tsunami. This is actually Bayona's second film; his first
was the 2007 Spanish horror flick "The Orphanage," which was
co-produced by Guillermo del Toro and received a ten-minute ovation from the
audience when it premiered at the 60th Cannes Film Festival. Emotionally
harrowing and powerfully acted, "The Impossible" is directed with a
raw, visceral intensity by Bayona and serves as a terrifyingly harsh reminder
of the fragility of our human lives.
A British expatriate couple living in
Japan, Maria (Naomi Watts) and Henry Bennett (Ewan McGregor) are taking their
kids, Lucas (Tom Holland), Thomas (Samuel Joslin), and Simon (Oaklee
Pendergast), on a much needed Christmas vacation in Thailand. Landing in Khao
Lak on Christmas Eve, the family stays at a newly renovated resort overlooking
the beach but the Bennett's idyllic holiday is shattered on the morning of
December 26, 2004 when a devastating tsunami strikes the coast. With the resort
decimated by the initial tidal wave, Maria fights for her life as she is
thrashed around by the surging waters and debris. She manages to reach Lucas
and the two catch their breath while holding onto an uprooted palm tree. Severely
injured, Maria comes to rely on Lucas for support as they look for help in the
wake of the disaster. A group of locals drive them to a hospital, where Maria
lies on the brink of death. Meanwhile, Henry has managed to survive, shielding
Thomas and Simon when the water hit. Sending his two sons to a safety zone up
in the mountains, Henry searches for his wife and eldest child, desperately
clinging onto what little hope he has left despite being faced with such destruction.
Loosely based on the true story of María Belón, who survived the tsunami along
with her husband and children, "The Impossible" may be marketed as a
disaster/drama film but it also contains elements of horror, which isn't
surprising considering Bayona's background. However, it's not a
chainsaw-wielding manic threatening the lives of this family, it's Mother
Nature. The director builds an omnipresent sense of dread, opening with a black
screen where the only sound that can be heard is a dull roar that increases in
intensity before cutting to a shot of a calm blue ocean as a plane screeches
into view. The story (written by Sergio G. Sánchez, who worked with Bayona on
the "The Orphanage") quickly establishes the family in broad strokes
and just fifteen minutes in the tsunami hits, as sudden as it did in real life
even though we're already aware that it's coming. It's an amazing scene, a
seamless blend of practical and digital effects but what makes it stand out is
the way Bayona presents it. Usually, Hollywood markets these sequences as the
'money shot' but that's not what the film does because then it would come off
as distasteful and exploitative. Instead, Bayona shows the incoming tidal wave
as a reflection on a glass door and just when Maria braces herself, the film immediately
cuts to black. Sounds of rushing water are heard and then we see Maria, bloody
and battered, screaming for Lucas while the water indiscriminately destroys
everything in its path. It's a terrifying scene, one that held my stomach in a
knot as the two are tossed around like ragdolls by the strong current.
The
direction here is utilized for maximum impact, with Bayona bringing a raw
intensity that may be too much for more sensitive viewers. As the waves subside
and the full scope of the destruction comes into view, Maria and Lucas struggle
to survive; the brief glimpses of their injuries are nothing short of horrific.
This is why the film affected me so deeply because Bayona doesn't shy away from
the human toll that comes from such a disaster but he never verges into
sensationalism. The sense of loneliness and desperation that comes with not
knowing if your loved ones survived or perished is felt throughout. Sánchez's
script tells a straightforward story but it derives much of its drama by
putting the audience 'in the moment' and immersing us into the mindset of these
characters. However, the film does commit one small misstep, relying on a
series of contrived coincidences in the last twenty minutes as characters just
miss each other. It feels artificial and forced but it then crescendos into an
uplifting moment that put a lump in my throat. Films like these can devolve
into mawkish over-sentimentalism but Bayona treats the material with a deft
touch, pushing "The Impossible" as a late but no less worthy addition
to the list of best films of 2012.
A large part of what makes the film so
harrowing is the naturalistic performances. Naomi Watts is one of my favorite
actresses and here, she's put through the gauntlet, the agony and pain etched
on her face is so real that just typing about it makes me feel emotional. I've
always felt Ewan McGregor was underrated as an actor and here he proves what
he's capable of when given such strong material. In a gut-wrenching scene,
Henry calls Maria's father Brian but breaks down in tears. It's a powerful
moment that represents how easily our lives can be taken away in an instant. Upstaging
both Watts and McGregor is sixteen-year-old Tom Holland. This is his on-screen
debut but what a debut it is, perfectly conveying the fear and desperation when
thrust with the responsibility of keeping his mother alive but there's also a
quiet determination in him. Many of the film's most emotional moments come from
him and Watts. Addressing the controversy of the film being 'white-washed,' I
agree that it's purely a marketing decision to increase international appeal as
the family it's based on is Spanish but it's not as if the actors that were
chosen are terrible, far from it in fact. I feel that focusing on the
particulars of the family's race is doing the film a disservice as its purpose
is to show that a disaster like this transcends skin color. To make such a big
deal out of this honestly feels rather petty.
In limited release since December
21, 2012, "The Impossible" has received largely positive reviews with
a solid 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that 'the screenplay isn't quite
as powerful as the direction or the acting, but with such an astonishing
real-life story at its center, [the film] is never less than compelling.' Unfortunately,
American audiences have shown little interest as it has only grossed a mere
$3.6 million, even with an expanded release. Internationally, it's a different
story as the film has already earned $67.6 million. Despite having a pair of
recognizable leads, the fact that it's a 'foreign' film (this is a Spanish
production) has put Americans off. Bolstered by Bayona's confident direction
and the cast's excellent performances, "The Impossible" is an
unforgettable, emotional experience that not only captures the devastating
enormity of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami but treats it with the respect that
it deserves. Audiences will find it hard not to leave the theater deeply
affected by what they've seen.
Final
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
"Listen, what if that boy was Simon or Thomas? What if they needed help? You'd want someone to help them, wouldn't you?"
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