The Impossible

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Overview

Director Juan Antonio Bayona follows up his critically acclaimed feature debut The Orphanage with this drama set during the 2004 Thailand tsunami, detailing one family's incredible fight for survival. Inspired by actual events, The Impossible finds Henry (Ewan McGregor), his wife Maria (Naomi Watts), and their three sons lounging poolside at a scenic Thailand resort following an eventful Christmas. But just as the family begins to forget their troubles and settle in for a relaxing tropical getaway, one of the ...
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DVD (Wide Screen / Subtitled)
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Note: Impossible was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Academy Awards® and Oscar® are marks owned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

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Overview

Director Juan Antonio Bayona follows up his critically acclaimed feature debut The Orphanage with this drama set during the 2004 Thailand tsunami, detailing one family's incredible fight for survival. Inspired by actual events, The Impossible finds Henry (Ewan McGregor), his wife Maria (Naomi Watts), and their three sons lounging poolside at a scenic Thailand resort following an eventful Christmas. But just as the family begins to forget their troubles and settle in for a relaxing tropical getaway, one of the worst natural disasters in modern history changes their lives in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, as shock gives way to abject horror, the devoted parents fight to protect their children, encountering scenes of heart-wrenching tragedy and experiencing acts of incredible compassion as the entire country is engulfed in chaos. Tom Hollander and Geraldine Chaplin co-star.
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Special Features

Closed Caption; Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón; ; "Casting The Impossible" featurette; "Realizing The Impossible" featurette; Deleted Scenes
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Jason Buchanan
Almost every time we walk into a movie theater, we run the risk of having our emotions manipulated. Whether we're watching a drama, a romance, a comedy, or a horror flick, one of the primary indicators as to whether or not that story will resonate lies in the filmmaker's ability to pull our strings through a delicately balanced blend of effective writing, skillful acting, powerful imagery, and music that reflects or, in certain instances, contradicts the mood of the action taking place onscreen. The best directors do this with a subtlety that renders this blatant appeal to our emotions invisible -- leaving us, the audience, alone with the characters up on the screen as they strive to accomplish a certain goal or navigate through a difficult situation. In his second feature The Impossible, Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona takes us directly into the path of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, revealing the true story of how one vacationing family not only managed to persevere through the devastating natural disaster, but, incredibly, reunited amidst the chaos and confusion that immediately followed. It's a truly visceral piece of filmmaking, but alas, it's hindered more than helped by a certain composer's shameless attempts to get our tears swelling right along with his overwrought strings. Henry Ewan McGregor, his wife Maria Naomi Watts, and their three sons Lucas Tom Holland, Thomas Samuel Joslin, and Simon Oaklee Pendergast are lounging poolside at a scenic Thailand resort following an eventful Christmas when one of the worst natural disasters in modern history changes their lives in the blink of an eye. As shock gives way to abject horror, the devoted parents fight to protect their children, along the way encountering scenes of heart-wrenching tragedy and experiencing acts of incredible compassion as the entire country is engulfed in chaos. In 2007, Bayona burst onto the international film scene with The Orphanage. Executive produced by Guillermo del Toro, The Orphanage succeeded not simply due to its ability to frighten, but because it managed to stir our emotions by painting its specters in a tragic light. It was an effective and richly textured psychological drama served up in horror trappings. Five years later, Bayona returns with The Impossible, a film that exchanges the gothic atmosphere of The Orphanage for a sunny beach in Thailand while focusing on the all-too-real horror of a family torn apart by forces far beyond their control. On the surface The Impossible is every parent's worst nightmare brought to life, yet once the surge hits, Bayona and screenwriter Sergio G. Sánchez focus as much on the family's efforts to find each other as they do the inherent selflessness we exhibit in times of great crisis. In The Impossible, Bayona's directorial strengths are immeasurably enhanced by a cast who do an exceptional job of emphasizing the humanity of Sánchez's compact yet emotionally complex screenplay, which alternates between the story of a critically wounded mother who strives to teach her son the healing power of altruism, and a father who refuses to give up hope even when all seems lost. In his very first onscreen film role, gifted young actor Tom Holland nearly steals the show from previous Oscar nominee Watts for a couple of reasons. Holland's remarkable ability to capture the mannerisms and nuances of his movie father serves to constantly remind us of McGregor's presence even when he's offscreen, but it's the talented young actor's ability to portray an effective mix of shock and perseverance that really drives his part of the story. When Lucas first recognizes the extent of his mother's injuries, his shaken reaction perfectly encapsulates that dreaded moment when we realize our parents aren't immortal. As a result, we understand how the tragedy has forced his character to mature in ways that he may not have been ready for. Even though she's muted by an oxygen mask for a good portion of the film, Watts shines as a mother who refuses to let her son's survival instincts overshadow his duties to the less fortunate early on. As the father who's faced with the agonizing decision to leave his two younger sons behind to search for Maria and Lucas, however, it's McGregor who personifies the unwavering sense of hope at the heart of The Impossible. A scene in which Henry uses a stranger's cell phone to place an emotionally charged call home captures that awful feeling when the horrible reality of a traumatic situation begins to set in as our consciousness struggles to catch up with our physical surroundings, and it highlights how the fleeting friendships that emerge in desperate times can have lasting and profound effects. For all of the talent in front of and behind the camera, however, there's one component of The Impossible that threatens to push the entire endeavor over the emotional cliff, and that's Fernando Velázquez's irredeemably unctuous score. With a story this emotional, one can see why Velázquez would be tempted to flex his orchestral muscles, but we hardly need to be told how to feel while watching a movie about a family being ripped apart by a violent force of nature, and in his efforts to enhance the drama, he instead ends up undercutting it. His score for The Impossible is so over-the-top melodramatic that at times it borders on parody, and given the highly effective use of sound design throughout the film, the picture would have been much better served without it. That pronounced shortcoming aside, The Impossible offers a refreshing air of hope in an era obsessed with fatalism, and serves as a stunning reminder that sometimes it's the worst situations that bring out the best in people.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 4/23/2013
  • UPC: 025192181528
  • Original Release: 2012

    • Rating:

  • Source: Summit Entertainment
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Wide Screen / Subtitled
  • Sound: DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound, Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
  • Time: 1:54:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 15

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Naomi Watts Maria
Ewan McGregor Henry
Tom Holland Lucas
Samuel Joslin Thomas
Oaklee Pendergast Simon
Marta Etura Simone
Sönke Möhring Karl
Geraldine Chaplin Elderly Woman
Ploy Jindachot Caregiver
Ploy Jindachote Caregiver
Jomjai Sae-limh "Maew" Red Cross Nurse
Johan Sundberg Daniel
Jan Sundberg Daniel's Father
La-Orng Thongruang Old Thai Man
Tor Klathaley Young Thai Man
Douglas Johansson Mr. Benstrom
Emilio Riccardi Morten Benstrom
Vorarat Jutakeo Doctor in Stockroom
Karun Konsaman Young Nurse in Stockroom
Nicola Harrison Woman in Charge of Simon and Thomas
John Albasiny Oliver Tudpole
Gitte Witt Norwegian Patient
Bruce Blain American Tourist
Cecilia Arnold American Tourist's Wife
Peter Tuinstra American Tourist on Orchid Roof
Esther Davis Volunteer in Children's Tent
Dominic Power Tourist Near the Orchid
Sarinrat Thomas "Jia" Operating Nurse
Keerati Sivakuae "Oak" Orchid Male Employee
Vipavee Charoenpura Woman in Childen's Minibus
Laura Power Young Nurse in Airplane
Kovit Wattanakul Henry's Pick-up Driver
Zoe Popham Tourist in Henry's Pick-up
Danny Toeng Danny Tourist in Henry's Pick-up
Ronnie Eide Tourist in Henry's Pick-up
Bonnie Jo Hutchinson Tourist at Bus Station
Jean-Loup Pilblad Tourist at Bus Station
Franky Gun Tourist at Bus Station
Giovani Agresti Tourist Looking for Francesca
Georgina Baert Woman Looking for Relative
David Bruce Man Looking for Relatives
Natalia Lorence Woman Looking for Relatives
Sverre Golten Man Looking for Relatives
Clare Louise Plunkett Woman Looking for Relatives
Raphael Dewaerseghers Naked Man
Pisamai Pakdeevijit Member of Thai Family in Stockroom
Aratchaporn Satead Member of Thai Family in Stockroom
Jakapong Srichaem Member of Thai Family in Stockroom
Simon Blyberg Ferdinand
Christopher Byrd Dieter
Namfon Pakdee Orchid Female Employee
Georgina Winters Patient in Takua Pa Hospital
Dina Kiseleva Patient in Takua Pa Hospital
Tan Daniel Demir Patient in Takua Pa Hospital
Krittanai Yongtrakull "Beer" Emergency Nurse
Takashi Hasegawa Japanese Tourist
Kristen Mandel Redheaded Woman
Sam Holland Kid in the Tent
Harry Holland Kid in the Tent
Mara Garcia Garcia Kid in the Car
Fernando Velázquez Conductor
Technical Credits
Juan Antonio Bayona Director
Jaime Anduiza Art Director
Belen Atienza Producer
Alvaro Augustin Producer
Shaheen Baig Casting
Simone Bar Casting
Ghislain Barrois Producer
Mark Bech Sound Editor
Maria Belon Original Story
Alessandro Bertolazzi Makeup
Anna Bingemann Costumes/Costume Designer
Didac Bono Art Director
Eugenio Caballero Production Designer
Albert Carreras Camera Operator
Chaiyan (Lek) Chunsuttiwat Art Director
Pau Costa Special Effects Supervisor
Efe-X-Efectos Especiales Special Effects
Oscar Faura Cinematographer
Daniela Forn Asst. Director
Peter Glossop Sound Mixer
Sparka Lee Hall Costumes/Costume Designer
Sandra Hermida Executive Producer
Jeanette Klintberg Casting
Enrique Lopez Lavigne Producer
Eva Leira Casting
Gabriel Liste Set Decoration/Design
Maria Reyes Costumes/Costume Designer
David Marti Makeup Special Effects
Howard Meltzer Casting
Montse Ribe Makeup Special Effects
Elena Ruiz Editor
Sergio G. Sánchez Screenwriter
Yolanda Serrano Casting
Oriol Tarrago Sound/Sound Designer
Javier Ugarte Executive Producer
Chiara Ugolini Makeup
Fernando Velázquez Score Composer
Bernat Vilapana Editor
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Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Impossible
1. Scene 1 [4:03]
2. Scene 2 [3:52]
3. Scene 3 [2:45]
4. Scene 4 [3:35]
5. Scene 5 [5:42]
6. Scene 6 [6:32]
7. Scene 7 [3:13]
8. Scene 8 [3:41]
9. Scene 9 [4:06]
10. Scene 10 [4:05]
11. Scene 11 [4:27]
12. Scene 12 [3:53]
13. Scene 13 [4:17]
14. Scene 14 [5:49]
15. Scene 15 [3:18]
16. Scene 16 [4:29]
17. Scene 17 [5:46]
18. Scene 18 [4:37]
19. Scene 19 [4:15]
20. Scene 20 [4:04]
21. Scene 21 [5:25]
22. Scene 22 [5:04]
23. Scene 23 [5:23]
24. Scene 24 [11:02]
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Menu

Disc #1 -- Impossible
   Play Movie
   Set Up
      Audio
         English 5.1 Dolby Digital
         Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
         Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: On/Off
            Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: On
            Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: Off
      Subtitles
         English
         Spanish
         Subtitles: Off
   Scene Selection
   Special Features
      Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: On/Off
         Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: On
         Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: Off
      "Casting The Impossible" Featurette
      "Realizing The Impossible" Featurette
      Deleted Scenes
         Hanging On
         Granddad's Number
         Easing The Pain
         "Where's Everyone Going?"
         At The Airport
      Theatrical Trailer
      Also From Lionsgate
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