THE IMPOSSIBLE

Directed by: J.A. Bayona

Starring: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland

Running time: 113 minutes

Nothing is more powerful than the human spirit.

After Life of Pi tells us the strength of human spirit, comes this sleeper film about surviving amidst the tsunami disaster in 2004. Based on true story (expect some dramatization), The Impossible does not tell us the story on a global scale but it focused on how a family survived the disaster.

Actually I am afraid that this sort of film will rely on corny soundtrack or overly dramatized content to withdraw viewer's tears but my fears were not proven to be true. J.A. Bayona manages to tell a human and touching story without relying on those cliches.

Set in Thailand, a family of unknown nationality (Ewan is British and Naomi is Australian in case you wonder), Henry Bennett (Ewan McGregor) and his wife, Maria (Naomi Watts), had brought their three sons there for a vacation. 

But the happiness last only for a few minutes until a huge tidal wave crash everything. Here is where the special effect takes place and I have to say it was so good it makes you horrified. It looks tense and I hold my breath as Maria submerged into the water. The family is split apart. Maria and her oldest son, Lucas (Tom Holland) stranded while her husband and the other two younger sons, Thomas (Samuel Joslin) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) are gone.

What will happen next? Are they dead? Will Maria manages to survive with her son while she is bleeding? By not revealing the nationality of the family, Bayona able to convey a universal story about human struggle in time of difficulties.

Naomi Watts shines here, we see her bled, exhausted and struggle just to stay alive and the child actors are also great. They look natural, especially Tom Holland who can embody Lucas from just a terrified child into a brave one. Prepare some tissues to shed some manly tears.