“The Impossible” – movie review

          The notorious Indian Ocean tsunami killed 240,000 people in 2004. “The Impossible” is the true story of one family’s ordeal in the middle of this tragedy. Henry (Quique) and Marie Alvarez and their three sons were staying at a comfortable resort on a beach in Thailland for a few days during the Christmas holidays.

          On the morning of December 26^th, while the family frolicked in the warm sunshine and aqua pools, a deafening roar mounts and we clench the arms of the movie theater chair as the catastrophe unfolds. We know what’s beginning to happen and, with a modicum of relief, we know at least this family ultimately survives.

          What does a tsunami look like? How can one grasp the feeling of being frozen, unable to move as a wall of water many stories high and totally inescapable rushes toward us? I  can’t imagine, but ‘The Impossible” gave me a pretty good idea of what it might have been like. The musical score, or I should say, taut violin sounds, blended excellently with the emotional tension all throughout the 114 minute film. Viewers not used to conditions in Southeast Asian countries may be surprised at the lack of cleanliness and sanitary conditions at the hospitals during this holocaust. It was a pleasant reminder to me that third world countries can do pretty well without our hyper vigilant, almost OCD, approach to wellness.

          The movie is very well done. It’s graphic, ugly, tense, and brown; everything is coated in thick brown mud. Even at the end when the Alvarez family is flying out of Thailand to safety, the brown mud and muck is still clinging to their bodies and clothes. How many times during the movie did I want to just get them cleaned up? Then everything would have been alright.

          “The Impossible” stars Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts as the mother and father, but the acting accolades in this film belong to the three young the boys. Tom Holland plays the eldest son, Lucas. Samuel Joslin plays the middle child, Thomas. Oaklee Pendergast plays Simon, the youngest. In the film their characters are 10, 8 and 5 respectively. Their acting skills were outstanding. I was totally pulled in to what it must have been like to live through this terrifying situation. At more than one time during this experience they all are separated, except the two youngest. It is very heart warming to see 8 year old Thomas console and comfort 5 year old Simon when they are separated from the rest.

          This movie did not disappoint. But it’s not the kind of film you’ll want to see more than once. I was exhausted after it was over. It felt like I held my breath through the entire time.

                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                  Four out of Five Possible Ticket Stubs