The Impossible review

The Impossible, one could not create a more appropriate title for such a film and that is a MASSIVE compliment. It took a heart warming true story that even Hollywood would deem 'a little unlikely' and made it human. The Impossible is a wonderfully grounding story of compassion and perseverance 

Having been immersed in the worlds of Peter Jackson and Tarantino of late, watching their movies on a loop, it was gloriously refreshing to watch a movie that made me feel small again. A superb cast of British actors depict an ordinary family pulled apart by  the aftermath of the Tsunami in the Indian Ocean on Boxing Day 2004. I mention the cast first as they were exceptional. Many are already praising child star Tom Holland along with the established Naomi Watts for their performances as the eldest son and the mother, but I believe it would be unfair to do so without mentioning the extraordinary Samuel Joslin who plays 7 year old middle child, Thomas forced to take care of his younger brother having "never taken care of anyone before". 

Whilst the actors are incredible, the director JA Bayona, a Spaniard who I know from his 2007 chiller 'The Orphanage' is equally brilliant. Using editing reminiscent of the French New Wave coupled with claustrophobic camera angles and handheld pans, the film looks hauntingly beautiful. The actual Tsunami hitting the main land is genuinely terrifying, filmed like a monster but maintaining complete realism, and the sound is marvellous, academy worthy even, whenever Naomi Watts' character is in any kind of pain, I felt every cut and bruise on her body and found myself wincing at the sound alone! 

Then the series of metaphors appearing in intricate sub plots that start to take over the movie as we begin to realise the sheer scale of the damage done, also an artistic narrative feature. It was an example of great visual storytelling and succeeded in keeping me immersed for the full two hours, which is rare for my eighteen year self, it also made the whole idea of family a bit more attractive to me - another major achievement. 

The Impossible has its flaws, the slightly annoying opening ten minutes which felt a bit detached and the cheesy score. But its irony and mocking-of-romantic-Hollywood-sentiment tone made it a masterpiece, and one that deserves success this February at the awards. This is one of the scariest films I've seen in a while and what's worse is in a completely different way, it reduced me to tears.

****