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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 [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. Rated: 4/5 Mar 21, 2019 Full Review Larushka Ivan-Zadeh metro.co.uk 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. Rated: 4/5 Sep 1, 2017 Full Review David Denby The New Yorker Alas, the movie tells a rather commonplace story. Jan 28, 2013 Full Review Joe Lipsett Murder Made Fiction Podcast - Bloody Disgusting 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. Rated: 4/5 Nov 11, 2025 Full Review Emiliano Basile EscribiendoCine ... A moving, shocking, and visceral film. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 10/10 Jan 2, 2024 Full Review Anushka Halve Film Companion 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. Dec 11, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Maria R 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. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/24/25 Full Review ARNALDO P 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. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/09/25 Full Review Ricardo M 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. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/22/25 Full Review mathilde g 15 min in you will feel the tears coming Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/04/25 Full Review Shannon F The 3 actors who played the brothers were excellent. The little boy who played Daniel was great as well. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/28/25 Full Review Audience Member Tom Holland’s performance in this movie, as a child actor, is nothing short of astonishing. This film is a heart-pounding reenactment of a tidal wave’s affect on a vacationing family. Never slow, and it invests you start to finish. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/26/25 Full Review 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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