The Impossible
Starring Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin
Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona
While vacationing in Thailand, Maria (Naomi Watts), her husband Henry (Ewan McGregor), and their three young sons Lucas (Tom Holland), Thomas (Samuel Joslin) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) fall victim to the horrible tsunami that destroyed countless lives the day after Christmas in 2004.
Maria and Lucas are separated from the others, and think them dead. Maria is badly injured and with the help of her young son make it to a village of Taiwanese villagers who help Maria with her wounds before taking her to a local hospital, where she endures surgeries and internal bleeding.
Meanwhile, Henry and the two youngest children are holding up at what's left of the hotel when people come to take them to a hospital. Henry sends the children away while he goes in search of Maria and Lucas, hoping against all hope that they're still alive.
"The Impossible" is a true story based on a family's harrowing travels through unspeakable carnage and destruction, and the impossibility that not only did they all survive, but managed to re-unite against...well...impossible odds.
Watts was nominated for an Oscar for her performance, and it was well deserved. This is one of her best performances I've ever seen her in, and she delivers a commanding performance that blends fear, pain, and determination. Tom Holland, in his first feature film, is a discovery in itself, and someone who should become a great actor in the years to come. His performance as Lucas - a young boy who has to take the role of caretaker for his mother - is simply heart-breaking. Throw in McGregor's powerhouse performance and the roles of the two younger sons and you've got a nearly pitch-perfect acting film.
Knowing this film was based on a true story (and, unlike most movies like this, the story is actually really close to reality) makes the film all the more emotional, and there were several scenes in the film where I not only got choked up, but literally bawled. That is how you know you've delivered a powerful performance, when you can get the audience so involved in the lives of the characters that you truly feel for them from the very depths of your soul.
The cinematography is utterly amazing. From the tsunami hitting to experiencing Maria and Lucas' journey through the torrents (including the gritty visuals of them getting pelted by all kind of debris) to their trek for survival, the scenery depicts the utter hopelessness people must've felt during the aftermath of such a horrendous event, but still at the heart of the film is the hope that the family has to see each other again. It also shows the good in humanity, as strangers who have no connection to each other come together to help out their fellow man, no matter what language they speak or nation they come from.
The film showcases that nothing is stronger than the human spirit, and nothing is more powerful than love. It is...impossible...for you to feel nothing after seeing this masterpiece of a true-life gripping saga.
Rating: A+
Comments
Post a Comment