Dramatizing devastating real-life events requires a delicate balancing act that needs to pay tribute to the tragedy at the center of the story without sensationalizing something that had a massive impact on a huge number of people, with 2012’s The Impossible straddling that tonal tightrope in riveting fashion.
One of the most horrifying natural disasters in recorded history, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami claimed almost 230,000 lives across 14 countries, so there were naturally more than a few eyebrows raised when it was first announced director J.A. Bayona would be helming a big budget Hollywood retelling of the tragedy that left the entire world in a state of shock.
Focusing on a small family unit, there were inevitably criticisms of The Impossible revolving around perceived whitewashing and the ladling on of cinematic melodrama, but an 81 percent Rotten Tomatoes score and 84 percent user rating, coupled with a $198 million tally at the box office and nominations at both the Academy Awards and Golden Globes, comfortably offset any doubts and concerns.
While the Bennett clan’s perilous journey to safety is the driving force behind the narrative, the depiction of the initial tsunami itself is nothing short of jaw-dropping, a visceral look at nature completely untethered and laying waste to anything in its path. 10 years on from release, and The Impossible is keeping streaming subscribers on the edge of their seats as we speak.
As per FlixPatrol, the harrowing hybrid of disaster epic, character-driven drama, and intense thriller has been catapulted back into the spotlight by way of a spot on the Prime Video worldwide watch-list, with the film having lost none of its impact a decade later.