The Impossible

The Impossible

Rated PG-13 and Released 1/4/13

Reviewed 1/6/13 at Celebration Cinema North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Denny, Danelle, and Aaron

3 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Naomi Watts portrays Maria who is vacationing with her family in Thailand when the deadly tsunami hits in 2004. In this movie, the intensity captures successfully the suffering this family endures after the catastrophe. While I thought this fact-based story was riveting, Danelle and Aaron persuaded me to knock it down in the ratings, as it does wind up and conclude a little too tidy. My dad said this was a one timer and we all agreed. The great Hollywood special effects weren't present, but this story was about people and not the disaster itself.

Maria and husband Henry (Ewan McGregor) and their three boys are at the pool when the giant surge of water comes rumbling over the trees. You could almost feel the fear as the wall of water comes barreling in on the paralyzed resorters. Maria and her oldest son Lucas (Tom Holland) surface from rapids and they find each other being swept away. Maria is severely injured and they need to make their way inland to get out of harm's way. The special effects of those injured in the movie were so realistic that it is not hard to turn away. Unaware of what happened to Henry and the two brothers Thomas and Simon, the struggling mother and son assume the worst as there is sorrow and carnage everywhere. They eventually make their way to the hospital thanks to Lucas taking the lead over his dying mother. The film really focuses on these two, but we are in the dark on what has become of the other three. While trying to aid his mother at the overwhelmed hospital, he ventures out and stumbles across family members (don't worry, I'm not spoiling too much). Tom Holland is really special in his role as Lucas and I think Ewan McGregor was just mediocre playing Henry. Danelle and I went through a few Kleenexes to get through this, but thankfully it does wind up quickly or we would have had to resort to the theater napkins. The Impossible is far from perfect, but if it doesn't touch you...you better get a softer heart. I can see why Naomi Watts is up for the Golden Globe. Let's see if she gets the Oscar nod.

Somehow we lost my dad after the movie. No photo op for him!

QUIET Rating system:  JJJ

Quality: JJj

Understood story:  JJJj

Interest: JJJ

Entertainment:  JJj

Time:  JJJ