Today I present for your consideration The Impossible (2012, Rated PG-13, available on DVD).
Henry (Ewan McGregor) and Maria (Naomi Watts) and their three young sons are spending the Christmas holidays at a resort in Thailand in 2004. They awake on Christmas Day to open gifts and then head out to the pool to play. Suddenly, the wind begins to blow, they hear a roar, and the tsunami hits.
Henry and the two younger boys are together, while Maria, who is badly injured, is swept away with their oldest son. If Maria survives, how will they ever be reunited?
The Impossible is frighteningly real. I felt caught up in every minute of the film. The director didn't use a computerized wave for the tsunami. Instead, he had a wave expert design a method for bringing in the water so it would look like an actual tsunami. They built a scale model of the resort that would be destroyed by the wave, so they had only one chance to get it right.
And these characters, based on a real family, had only one chance to survive.
Although this movie is rated PG-13, I would be wary of showing it to young teens. I think it might give them nightmares. If you're sensitive, it might give you nightmares. The characters face the fear of separation from one another, the danger of Maria's injuries, and the journey to obtain help, travelling past bodies and debris. I can't even imagine what a task it was to make this movie, but it gave me at least the tiniest inkling of what it was like to be there when the tsunami occurred.
It's really quite harrowing. I grant The Impossible The Janie Junebug Highest Seal of Approval.
I don't want you to think that every minute of the movie is misery. After Maria is hospitalized, she insists that her son do something to be of assistance to others. So he goes around gathering names from people and manages to reunite a father and son. Maria and her son also rescue a little boy.
In the midst of devastation are many quiet tales of heroism and kindness, just as there have been in Oklahoma.
I wish you a lovely weekend, and may God bless you on Memorial Day. Please remember those who have given their lives to keep us safe.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
I could not possibly watch this. My nephew, his wife & their 2 young children were in Thailand when the tsunami hit. Their 4 or 5 year old son was pulled into & returned by the waters!!
ReplyDeleteThat's terrifying, fishducky. Thank God they survived.
DeleteHi Janie .. I saw this and thought it was very good indeed .. so well filmed - and quite extraordinary to follow along with.
ReplyDeleteExcellent watch .. well worth it .. cheers Hilary
I'm glad you thought it was well made, too, Hilary.
DeleteThis sounds like an excellent movie. I'll have to put it on my list of ones to see.
ReplyDeleteIt is excellent, but a bit nerve wracking.
DeleteI really like Ewan and Naomi. He was awesome in "Salmon Fishing on the Yemen."
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of that. I'll try to remember it when I next visit my Netflix queue, which only has about 300 movies in it.
DeleteI am not a fan of moives about disasters hubby is though so he would love this.....
ReplyDeleteThis one is particularly heart wrenching.
DeleteWe haven't seen this one yet so I was glad to read your review. I had a feeling some of it was going to be very difficult to watch (it took me three years to watch Schindler's List), but I'm glad there are such heartwarming moments in it to balance things out. Love your reviews!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shelly. I don't know how many years it took me to watch Schindler's List, but I think it was at least ten. It was more than ten before I watched Sophie's Choice (I had read the book, and it had such an impact on me that when I reached the last page I suddenly knew I was a Christian).
DeleteThis was an excellent movie!! Wow! And based on a true story, too. So realistically done that you did feel like you were right there with them throughout the whole movie. Was a thumbs up for me, too! :)
ReplyDeleteWell, if you liked it, then I know I'm right about it.
DeleteHere's a shocker: ever since I received my kindle, I have stopped watching movies, tv, and even NETFLIX. And I swore I'd never love a book that had no pages.
ReplyDeleteWell, knock me over with a feather.
DeleteWhen I was a kid, I used to have terrifying nightmares about being caught in a tidal wave, so I'm not sure this movie would be for me.
ReplyDeleteThis movie would probably not be a good idea for you.
DeleteYou know Janie I was a victim of the tsunami myself. We were on our way to the same resort I have featured this week. I dont think I want to re-live this. You have to be in it to know how scary it is. We lost more than 100,000 people and alot of people we know. The devastation is unbelievable.
Deletewww.thoughtsofpaps.com
Oh, my gosh, PAPS, I'm so grateful you were spared but horrified that you had to be a witness to such terror. I'm sure you're wise not to watch the movie.
Deletelost my blog (long story) and had to start a new one. Come visit me at http://my2ndcup.blogspot.com/ I have missed all my blogging buddies.
ReplyDeleteI'm following you at your new home.
DeleteJanie,
ReplyDeleteI will definitely put this on a list of movies to watch. I just responded to your comment on my strawberry post. I always check the comments part of BlogSpot. I never saw the three I responded to just now. ???Am I just addled?
This is the first comment I've seen from you in a while. I don't know where you go. You're not in my spam folder.
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