'THE IMPOSSIBLE'

'THE IMPOSSIBLE' (PG-13) (3 1/2 STARS)

Written by Sergio G. Sanchez
Directed b Juan Antonio Bayona
Actors: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Oaklee Pendergast, Geraldine Chaplin

In the beginning of the heartbreaking but uplifting "The Impossible" there is a moment that is one of the most realistic and frightening images I have ever seen in a motion picture. Of course you can guess it is the tsunami that hit Khao Lak, Thailand back in 2004. When that tsunami hits in the movie I winced and squirmed and wanted to hide my eyes what with all the destruction and death caused by this realistic natural disaster. There are bones breaking and major bodily harm that is right up in your face. Credit director J.A. Bayona and his crew for starting this movie on such a powerful moment not ruined by CGI trickery.

Many lives were destroyed from this horrendous tragedy and some people survived and I don't know how they did it. "The Impossible" focuses on one British family comprised of married couple Henry and Maria and their three sons including the eldest son Lucas. The movie tells the story of this family's bravery and finally exploring how the human condition of compassion can come out of a disaster this terrible. The movie starts out briely inroducing us to this family and it is effective because we grow to like this family right off the bat. The family is on a Christmas vacation staying at a resort when the tsunami strikes.

When the storm hits it is a very powerful moment shocking us with it's realism in the destruction the storm causes. I swear I could not tell that there was any special effects trickery, that is how powerful and realistic it is! Also the damage it does to Mary and Lucas's body is bone chilling as they get carried away in the water to a tree for safety. I will not spoil what happens to the family after the storm hits but it is emotional stuff and I want people to discover what happens, that makes it more special and effective. I am happy that I didn't know much going in because it made me appreciate the drama and focus on the movie more.

This is not a fun movie to watch but it's power comes from how bravery can come from people that don't seem brave at first. I love how the movie explores how a tragedy like this can wake up the love and care human beings should feel for each other. The movie's power comes from it's realism but also from two very special performances I will never forget. Naomi Watts is amazing as Mary and it is easily her best performance of a career that has many wonderful performances. It is a tough role to play for Naomi has a lot of scenes where she is bed ridden. Though the opening scenes showing her and Lucas trying to survive and get help requires a great deal and Watts is amazing in those scenes.

I was also captivated by the performance of young Tom Holland as the eldest son Lucas. It is a mature, Oscar caliber, strong and incredible performance by Holland and it is easily one of the best child performances I have ever seen. Also wonderful are Ewan McGregor as the father and the other child actors playing the other siblings. After a while the movie had a numbing effect on me but the performances and the family's struggle got to me and affected me deeply. I also loved that the movie had a short running time so that the movie didn't wallow into too much hardship, that would have made the movie depressing.

The movie is dark and grim but what comes out in the end is an uplifting and touching story of bravery and human compassion that comes out in tragedy and a certain compassion that should be shown more in every day life. Back in 1992 there was a movie called "Lorenzo's Oil" about a child with a rare disease. It was one of the most gut wrenching movies I have ever seen, one of the only ones where I wanted to escape from a movie. "The Impossible" is like that movie but sometimes I felt it could have been less Hollywood. There is a sequence where a lot of close calls are drawn out that felt a little false. With that minor quibble out of the way, "The Impossible" is gut wrenching, beautifully told and finally uplifting.