Starring Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts
Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona
Navigating the waters of a natural disaster flick can be tricky and Juan Antonio Bayona almost succeeds in avoiding over-sentimentality in The Impossible. Set during the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the movie follows the harrowing journey of one familys survival ordeal.
The film, based on a true story, opens with Henry (McGregor) and Maria (Watts) enjoying a vacation with their three sons. The trip quickly turns into a nightmare as the inevitable wall of water cascades over their seaside resort in a terrifying scene.The depiction of the raging wave and ensuing aftermath is harrowing.
Many of the disaster sequences are gut-wrenching; Maria is repeatedly bashed and tossed like a rag doll until left for dead. What follows is a detailed account of the family attempting to reunite under seemingly impossible conditions.
Watts and McGregor display some of the finest acting of their careers (sure to garner Oscar buzz) and 16-year-old Tom Holland is riveting as their son Lucas. However, the film almost buckles under its own weight of melodrama and sentimentality. A weepy, overbearing musical score coupled with the decision to revisit the horrific disaster scene later in the film feel heavy-handed. Though restraint is difficult to convey in this genre, The Impossible could have benefitted from a little subtlety.
