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The Impossible

Play trailer Poster for The Impossible PG-13 2012 1h 54m Drama Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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81% Tomatometer 198 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
A couple and their three sons encounter terror, courage and compassion following the December 2004 tsunami that devastated Thailand.
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The Impossible

The Impossible

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Critics Consensus

The screenplay isn't quite as powerful as the direction or the acting, but with such an astonishing real-life story at its center, The Impossible is never less than compelling.

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Critics Reviews

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Shubhra Gupta The Indian Express 03/21/2019
4/5
[The Impossible] shows us devastation, yes, unbelievable havoc, yes, horrific human loss, yes. But also, exemplary courage and love and compassion, all done with freshness and feeling. Go to Full Review
Larushka Ivan-Zadeh metro.co.uk 09/01/2017
4/5
A heart-wrenchingly tense survival drama based on 'an incredible true story' of a far more 'homely' looking Spanish family, this is a cut above 1990s eco-disaster movies such as Dante's Peak. Go to Full Review
David Denby The New Yorker 01/28/2013
Alas, the movie tells a rather commonplace story. Go to Full Review
Joe Lipsett Murder Made Fiction Podcast - Bloody Disgusting Nov 11
4/5
Bayona's devastatingly visceral film is an emotional gut-punch. While accusations of white washing the tragedy are relevant, the focus on a single five person family all surviving the tsunami is undeniably compelling. Go to Full Review
Emiliano Basile EscribiendoCine 01/02/2024
10/10
... A moving, shocking, and visceral film. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Anushka Halve Film Companion 12/11/2023
This isn't a narrative of a larger-than-life hero swooping in to save the day; rather, it's a testament to the combined efforts of ordinary individuals, bound by humanity, who become heroes in the crucible of disaster. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jim P 6d It's not a great movie, but it scores highly because it's based on a true tragic story. You can actually imagine being caught in that terrible tsunami... See more Maxsuel S @Maxine191 Dec 29 Um filme que caiu no esquecimento das pessoas,mais que é incrível,tem um grande potencial para ser mais reconhecido e menos subestimado porque ele é simplesmente algo que transmite tensão e ao mesmo tempo satisfação com algo que retrata tão bem a realidade de vários países e que muita das vezes não são usados para filmes como acontecimentos naturais,se tornou um dos meus filmes favoritos. See more Maria R Nov 24 I really liked the fact that this movie didn't only dwell on the initial part of the disaster but also took the aftermath into account. A lot of disaster movies and even news coverage end as soon as the what is considered the worst is over. Here they took the time to show the confusion, the uncertainty and chaos of having to deal with that much damage. Instead of showing a vast amount of terrible injuries and making it look like an overwhelming horror show, there was focus on only a few of them and they were more impactfull for it. The acting was great, and because it was based on a true story it didn't feel contrived in the twists and turns that happened. They also managed to tell the stories of many people other than just the main family, which really showed how lucky they were in comparison. It also had excellent sound design that really set the tone from the very first scene. See more ARNALDO P Oct 9 What a tragic and sad true story film, It was a really touching movie and it makes you feel grounded to cherished what you have. The acting was phenomenon naomi and tom holland is a chef's kiss of an acting. This movie is highly recommended. See more Ricardo M Aug 22 The Impossible is about a movie in Thailand when a tsunami hits unnoticed. One family find themselves in a fight for their lives and reconnection. Becoming separated leads them to search and rescue for one another. Through strength, courage, know-how, and a will to keep going they discover faith, hope, and love. Based on a true story of a tsunami that hit Thailand in 2004. See more mathilde g Aug 4 15 min in you will feel the tears coming See more Read all reviews
The Impossible

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The Impossible

The Impossible: Official Clip - Thank You The Impossible: Official Clip - Thank You 2:27 The Impossible: Official Clip - Is it Over? The Impossible: Official Clip - Is it Over? 2:59 The Impossible: Official Clip - What's Your Name? The Impossible: Official Clip - What's Your Name? 2:35 The Impossible: Official Clip - You Came Back The Impossible: Official Clip - You Came Back 2:40 The Impossible: Official Clip - Calling Home The Impossible: Official Clip - Calling Home 2:45 The Impossible: Official Clip - The Tsunami The Impossible: Official Clip - The Tsunami 2:38 The Impossible: Official Clip - Maria's Ordeal The Impossible: Official Clip - Maria's Ordeal 2:55 The Impossible: Official Clip - It's Going to Be Okay The Impossible: Official Clip - It's Going to Be Okay 2:45 The Impossible: Official Clip - A Beautiful Mystery The Impossible: Official Clip - A Beautiful Mystery 2:19 The Impossible: Official Clip - Reunited The Impossible: Official Clip - Reunited 2:12 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis A couple and their three sons encounter terror, courage and compassion following the December 2004 tsunami that devastated Thailand.
Director
J. A. Bayona
Producer
Belén Atienza, Álvaro Augustin, Ghislain Barrois, Enrique López Lavigne
Screenwriter
Sergio G. Sánchez
Distributor
Summit Entertainment
Production Co
Institut Valencià de Cinematografia, Apaches Entertainment, Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA), Summit Entertainment, VS Service, Canal+ España, Telecinco Cinema, Mediaset España
Rating
PG-13 (Disturbing Injury Images|Brief Nudity|Intense Realistic Disaster Seq)
Genre
Drama, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 21, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 7, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$19.0M
Runtime
1h 54m
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