The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami stands as one of the worst
natural disaster in recorded history with a death toll of nearly 230,000. There
are countless tales of loss and survival and The Impossible is just one of those stories.
Maria (Naomi Watts) and Henry Bennett are flying to Thailand
for a luxurious Christmas vacation with their three sons – Lucas (Tom Holland),
Tomas (Samuel Joslin), and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast). Over the course of their
long plane ride, we learn a little bit about the Bennett family. Maria gave up
a successful career as a doctor to become a mother while Tomas has entered his
tempestuous teenage phase. These problems amount to absolutely nothing when a
massive tidal wave crushes their resort. Lucas is swept away with his mother
who has been badly injured. Discovered by locals, they are taken to a nearby
triage. Meanwhile, back at the resort, Henry makes the heartbreaking decision
to leave Tomas and Simon in the care of strangers in order to search for Maria
and Lucas.
There isn’t a subtle bone within the body of The Impossible. This is a disaster movie
that hits its audience with almost as much force as the tsunami it depicts.
Drama unfolds and tears are wrung as the bombastic score swells to manipulate
emotion. The film is riddled with Oscar bait moments such as a scene where
Henry makes a sorrowful call to his father while other tourists (with eyes
welling up) bare witness. Luckily, they’ve cast actors of the caliber of Naomi
Watts and Ewan McGregor, who walk the delicate balance between convincing
performances and ham-fisted melodrama. The filmmakers also hired three fine
young actors to play their offspring with Tom Holland being of particular note.
His scenes with Naomi Watts are the most powerful as the journey of a spoiled
boy into adulthood. When Maria hears the cries of a lost child in the distance,
Lucas pleads with mom to press on as she needs medical attention. But, Maria
cannot and reasons with Lucas that if it were his brothers calling for help
wouldn’t he want someone to intervene? Later, when they arrive at the hospital,
Lucas searches for any sign of his dad and winds up assisting other patients in
finding their missing relatives.
The Impossible
garnered some controversy for white-washing the real-life story behind the
film. The lead characters were inspired by Spanish couple Enrique and Maria
Belón, the latter of whom lost her leg in the disaster. Also, the screenplay
was written by Sergio G. Sanchez and directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, the
creative team behind the atmospheric horror flick The Orphanage. For some reason, Bayona is listed in the credits and
advertising material as J.A. Bayona. Though the Belóns gave the movie their
blessing, it is obvious Summit Entertainment felt a white cast with minorities
in the background would appeal to a wider audience than a Spanish production.
Many critics have argued that focusing solely on the story of an affluent
family is a disservice to the hundreds of thousands who didn't have a happy
ending. The Bennetts' experience during the tsunami is no less valid than any
others. Yet, The Impossible fails to
turn their story into a microcosm of the entire event. There are moments where
the Thai people come off as little more than the help dutifully serving the
affluent vacationers in their midst.
Bayona does a splendid job as director as he creates a thick
amount of tension during the climax. The tsunami sequence is impeccably crafted
and outdoes Clint Eastwood's Hereafter.
Bayona taps into his horror background from the eerie silence just before the
wave hits to the harrowing sight of Maria being helplessly swept away.
While Naomi Watts received a well-deserved Oscar nomination
for Best Actress, it's a case of a great performance in a middling picture. Not
everyone will buy into this overwrought tearjerker.
Rating: ** ½ (*****)
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