Sunday, January 06, 2013

Movie Review: The Impossible

A family of doting parents and 3 young boys arrives at an idyllic, remote resort in Thailand, for their much-awaited Christmas vacation, which quickly turns in a desperate struggle for survival when the resort is hit with full force in the 2004 Tsunami.

The movie depicts the Tsunami and its immediate aftermath in a way never seen before - panoramic views of the resort, the huge wave rushing in, the gushing waters, the debris, the floating bodies... the color of the muddy water, the foam, the rush, the noise... shot beautifully, you can feel the full terror of what must have happened on that fateful day.

While a bit slow, the movie captures a myriad of human emotions - sadness, desperation, fighting spirit, sacrifices, fear, elation - and brings the full impact of the disaster from the ground, very intimately, unlike many other "grand" disaster movies which look so artificial, so unreal.

The cast is amazing, led by Naomi Watts, in a role which might well win her an Oscar. The kids are beautiful, the dad in convincing, and so is each and everyone of the supporting cast.

Go watch it; and appreciate simply being alive!

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