Review: The Impossible

On Boxing Day in 2004 one of the worst natural disasters of modern times struck the planet.  Over a million people were killed in 15 countries around the world.

The Impossible tells the story of the Bennet family who are spending Christmas in a Thailand hotel.

Their world is unexpectedly turned upside down when a huge wave crashes through the resort, separating the family in a cacophony of thundering water.

What follows is the family’s struggle to beat the odds and be united however ‘impossible’ that may seem.

Unusually, the entirely Spanish produced film was shot in English, possibly to reach a wider audience…possibly to up their chances of being nominated for an Oscar, who knows.

Director Juan Antonio Bayona was keen to keep the CGI to a minimum, with much of the shooting taking place in a huge water tank that produced much of the ‘water surges’ during the initial Tsunami scenes.

Had the film been fictional, it probably would have failed to hold my attention. There were moments when it felt too much time had been dedicated to certain scenes. For example when Lucas (Tom Holland) is helping is injured mum Maria (Naomi Watts) to take refuge up a tree after the wave has struck.

But knowing it had really happened to real people kept the viewer inclined to see it through to the end.

The films strong point is most definitely its acting. There were some great tear-jerking performances from Ewan MacGregor and Naomi Watts, as well as the boys playing their sons; Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin and Oaklee Pendergast.

Overall it felt like The Impossible centred too much on the ‘feel-good’ story-line for a subject based on a huge natural disaster that destroyed millions of lives around the world. It seemed like it didn’t really have a strong enough message.

B.O.R.E rating: A tear-jerker that lacks substance.