Rent The Impossible (2012)

3.6 of 5 from 416 ratings
1h 59min
Rent The Impossible (aka Lo imposible) Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
  • General info
  • Available formats
Synopsis:
Based on a true story, 'The Impossible' is the unforgettable account of a family caught, with tens of thousands of strangers, in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. Both epic and intimate, devastating and uplifting, 'The Impossible' is a journey to the core of the human heart.
Actors:
, , , , , , , , , Jomjaoi Sae-Limh, , Jan Roland Sundberg, La-Orng Thongruang, Tor Klathaley, , Emilio Riccardi, Vorarat Jutakeo, Karun Konsaman, ,
Directors:
Producers:
Belén Atienza, Álvaro Augustín, Ghislain Barroi, Enrique López Lavigne
Writers:
Sergio G. Sánchez, María Belón
Aka:
Lo imposible
Studio:
E1 Entertainment
Genres:
Action & Adventure, Drama
Collections:
2013, Acting Up: British Actresses at the Oscars, Award Winners, CinemaParadiso.co.uk Through Time, Films to Watch If You Like..., Getting to Know..., Getting to Know: Ewan Mcgregor, Top Films, What's Next: 10 Films to Watch if You Like Chernobyl
BBFC:
Release Date:
06/05/2013
Run Time:
119 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:
English Hard of Hearing
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.35:1
Colour:
Colour
Bonus:
  • Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio Sanchez and Producer Belen Atienza and Maria Belon
  • "Casting The Impossible" Featurette
  • "Realizing The Impossible" Featurette
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Interviews with the Cast
  • Theatrical Trailer
BBFC:
Release Date:
06/05/2013
Run Time:
119 minutes
Languages:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles:
English Hard of Hearing
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.35:1
Colour:
Colour
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio Sanchez and Producer Belen Atienza and Maria Belon
  • "Casting The Impossible" Featurette
  • "Realizing The Impossible" Featurette
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Interviews with the Cast and Crew
  • Theatrical Trailer

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Reviews (5) of The Impossible

Well-staged tsunami drama - The Impossible review by Alphaville

Spoiler Alert
20/11/2016

This is an affecting true-life story about a family searching for each other in the aftermath of the 2004 Thai tsunami. It’s so well staged, acted and directed that you’d have to have a heart of stone not to warm to it, especially with swelling violins telling you how to react. It wastes only 15 minutes in getting to the exciting tsunami sequence, but the majority of the film is spent in hospitals afterwards, where things get a bit maudlin and samey. No opportunity to manipulate audience emotions is spared. It certainly wouldn’t bear a second viewing, but if you enjoy a good tearful wallow get a box of tissues ready and draw up a seat.

1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

An incredible, heart-wrenching & emotional masterpiece, with a stunning McGregor performance - The Impossible review by TB

Spoiler Alert
29/08/2023

I remember so clearly the tsunami of 2004, especially as it was Boxing Day. But this story seeks to flesh out not only the true story/experience of one family, but also to show not only the selfishness at times of some of those caught up in it (like someone refusing to allow a desperate person to use their mobile to contact family,) but also and far more frequently the incredible generosity & care of particularly the Thai people to help.

Maria & Henry arrive in Thailand with their 3 children to spend Christmas in the beautiful surroundings of Khao Lak. Over the opening minutes, you see them all sharing wonderful & precious moments together, as they mess around in the swimming pools & light fire lanterns, making the night sky come alive. Then, one day the peace is shattered in the most horrific scenes imaginable: an enormous tsunami hits the beach where they are, destroying everything in its path & splitting them up. When the tsunami passes, there is a frantic attempt to try to help the wounded & find loved ones.

For me, the special effects, as well as the use of miniatures/real world effects was absolutely staggering. When you look at the special features & see how it was recreated, it simply blows your mind. There isn't one second where it doesn't look like you are watching actual footage/you have been thrown into the center of this horror. The scenes of the water exploding through everything in its path, destroying & obliterating enormous buildings like they are made of glass, are the stuff of nightmares.

But this film is most remarkable for its performances. Naomi Watts & Ewan McGregor had worked together before on the fairly underpowered & little-seen film Stay, but had always said that they wanted to work together again. And their chemistry pays dividends here. One thing which is often completely missed by people is that in the space of literally 10 minutes, they have to convince you that they are a family who have known each other for years & make you want to follow/become emotionally involved with them.

Watts, who we mainly follow for the first part of the film is, as you would expect, amazing. Her chemistry with Tom Holland (in his feature film debut after coming to fame as one of the Billy Elliot's in the UK stage shows,) is also great. Her resilience in the face of catastrophic injuries & undescribable fear is stunning.

But this film belongs to Ewan McGregor. He has always been one of my 2 favourite actors (the other being Daniel Day-Lewis,) and in this film, there was not one thing that could be improved with his performance. He is a completely broken man who has to try & find his children and wife, whilst dealing with the constant horror of what is happening around him. And this leads to one of the most heart-breaking & unbearably emotional scenes I have ever watched, with some of the best acting imaginable, in a bus garage surrounded by actual people who were caught up in the tsunami (not actors.)

But there is also many wonderful acts of kindness shown which were inspired by real-life events. One of the most moving for me was the small moments that were shown of local people who has literally lost everything they had, be it property or loved ones, making rafts out of whatever they could salvage, rescuing people & getting them to medical help. This showed so clearly & movingly how decent people can be when helping their fellow man.

The film does everything you could imagine. It makes you laugh, cry, wince but also feel hope that in the worst times imaginable, people help each other & miracles can happen. I loved it, and I hope you do as well.

0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.

Below average Hollywood-style trivialisation - The Impossible review by RP

Spoiler Alert
24/06/2013

It is estimated that up to 250,000 people lost their lives in the tsunami that followed the undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean in December 2004. The countries affected included Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand - and this film follows the fortunes of one family in Thailand as they struggle to survive, are separated, then, against all odds, reunited.

I *hated* this film. While it may be based on a true story it is an over-sanitised, white man's tale that trivialises the sufferings of the local population and focuses on a few English-speaking tourists. The larger tragedy is simply used as background material for the central characters as they pretend to grimace in pain against a background of a terrifying natural disaster.

I also disliked the fact that the central family was Spanish and yet was changed to British for the film - is the white man better box office? But at least the film was made by a Spanish company. Over 5,000 Thais were killed (and over 150,000 Indonesians) and yet we focus on a small over-privileged British tourist family? To me, this really is trivialisation.

Naomi Watts gained an (in my opinion, undeserved) Oscar nomination for her performance, Ewan McGregor gave one of his usual wooden performances, but young Tom Holland was excellent.

It's all very prettily photographed, the tsunami scenes are well done, but I disliked it intensely. I'll give it 2/5 stars because I've seen worse, but frankly this is below average Hollywood-style trivialisation that I didn't expect to see in a European production.

0 out of 3 members found this review helpful.

Critic review

The Impossible (aka Lo imposible) review by Alyse Garner - Cinema Paradiso

Based on the real life story of a family of tourists caught in the Thailand tsunami of Boxing Day 2004, Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor star as husband and wife who, on holiday with their three sons, are separated by one of the worst natural disasters in living memory.

Beginning with establishing shots of the beautiful and exotic paradise of an East Asian holiday resort, complete with sunshine, calm oceans and colourful tropical fish, the film quickly switches to a harrowing and intense depiction of the infamous aforementioned tsunami; separated from the rest of her family Maria (Watts) finds herself plunged under the raging water, near drowning, her skin and body battered and torn as she collides painfully with debris. Later scenes in the hospital as she lies in bed, unsure of the whereabouts of her husband and two youngest sons, her physical pain is matched only by her emotional torment, the terror in her eyes at the moment of the tsunami’s impact a pale shadow to her fear for her family.

Husband Henry (McGregor) with their youngest children, Thomas and toddler Simon, searches desperately for his wife, and utterly confused and shocked by the events that have just taken place, makes a heart wrenching phone call home that is one of the hardest scenes in the movie to watch.

Aptly titled this story tells one of human survival and spirit, demonstrating that regardless of the circumstances sometimes the impossible is in fact possible. Thanks to superb performances from Watts, McGregor and their on screen children (with special mention to Tom Holland who plays eldest son Lucas) and a surprisingly gentle direction from The Orphanage’s Juan Antonio Bayona this disaster movie is far from the action filled spectacles produced by Hollywood but instead is a moving and insightful piece of drama set against the backdrop of a tragedy that affected people the world over.

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