Usually, when someone wants to describe something that's so big that they can't describe it with one word, they usually use "herculean", when it comes to them. I don't. I go with the more modest "Everest" description. If something is so seemingly huge and appears so daunting, I say it's Everest-like. I invoke the name of the highest peak in the world, in the hopes of giving something some serious perspective. While watching The Impossible, that phrase came to mind again, and again. Directed by J.A. Bayona, The Impossible is the telling of a true story of a family on vacation in Thailand when the tsunami hit their beachfront resort. Ewan McGregor plays Henry, the father. Naomi Watts plays Maria, the mother. Samuel Joslin plays Thomas, the middle brother, while Oaklee Pendergast plays Simon, the youngest brother. The real star of the show though is Tom Holland, he plays Lucas, the older brother. Quite simply, he is magnetic.
Henry, Maria and their three sons decide to go to Thailand for Christmas. They are a regular family, complete with all the stresses and worries of any other family. All those worries and stresses though are soon completely forgotten about when the tsunami hits. If you ever were curious about a tsunami, if you've done all the research on them then you know they are caused by an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslides or some other underwater disturbance large enough in the ocean to create a tidal wave. If, for some reason you were curious as to what it would be like to be in one, see this film. J.A. Bayona submerges you relentlessly underwater, with the cast as they fight for dear life to stay afloat. You will find yourself gripping the arm rests as you struggle along with Maria and Lucas.
Maria gets the worse of things and Lucas, the "brave" one admits to being scared, but he doggedly looks after his mother. Those two are swept away from the resort in what has to be one of the most amazing sequences ever. The special effects to recreate the tsunami is nothing short of incredible. It's violent, unforgiving, and unstoppable. With his mother losing a good amount of blood, Lucas heads them towards a tree to climb but they hear a baby crying. Lucas wants to ignore, admonishing his mother, telling her there is nothing they can do and they need to get to safety. Maria invokes his brothers names and Lucas snaps at her that they are dead. He tells her if another wave hits, they will die too, Maria, undeterred tells him if it's the last thing they do....
That's where this movie turns from good to amazing. Capturing the human spirit is done so perfectly by Bayona that I now what to see his other works. It's amazing, when things happen and people come into your life to save it, they do all they can to take care of you and to keep you alive, only to vanish in the end when they feel you are in good hands. There is that moment in this movie, and Lucas knows that "thank you" is just so inadequate, so small, and yet that is all he has to offer the men that get him and his mother to safety. There's heartbreak, despair, and death all over this movie. But there's also hope, love, and compassion in equal measure as well.
Now when you look out on the utter destruction and desolation that's left behind by the tsunami, when you see the teeming masses at the hospitals, you will see why I feel that someone finding anyone is Everest-like, and that's why the name of the movie is what it is. It just looks virtually impossible this family will ever be whole again, and yet...they are. Now how the family finds each other is what I feel is the movies weakest moment, but if it really happened that way, then who am I to say it should have been done differently? Scored lushly by Fernando Velazquez and shot beautifully by Oscar Faura, The Impossible was the perfect first film to see in 2013, it is unforgettable. Don't believe me, go see it for yourself and you decide. And I'll see you at the theater.
Involving film with the feel of a documentary. Nothing is more important than family. The tsunami was a horrific disaster. Got it. Didn't leave the film changed or thinking, though. Central Park five made a much bigger impact on me.
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