The Impossible - Movie Review

After the awards season, I always love it when the nominated films start to be released. I know I will have have some wonderful movies to enjoy -- and one such movie is the mind-blowing, inspirational film titled The Impossible. I had so many people recommend this movie to me. I was sitting on an airplane, and a woman was watching it and said I should see it. Taking heed, I decided to pick up a copy this weekend. Of course, it turned out to be just an incredible film. On just a technical level alone, the CGI was truly impressive. They were able to recreate what it would really be like to be hit by a tsunami with such true-life accuracy, I started wondering how the heck they did it. But the technical aspect wasn't the impressive part -- it was the story itself.

The movie is the true story of the Bennett family who were swept up in the tsunami that hit Thailand's coast and destroyed it. It's a tale of survival, human perseverance, and family love. The filmmakers take you right into the heart of the experience. You are there with the family members, and the search to find each other is heart-wrenching, real and enthralling. There were moments (the carnality of seeing the mother's leg sliced open that turned your stomach) that were so real, my eyes just grew large. So many moments in this film where my lower lip trembled as I fought off tears. The acting was dead-on and pitch-perfect and not at all melodramatic, which it could have been if taken over the top. 

I highly recommend you see The Impossible -- just be prepared. It isn't the least bit sappy, but it is quite real and very frightening. IT made me not want to go to the beach!