---
title: "The Impossible"
year: 2012
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-impossible"
fi1m_id: "the-impossible"
imdb_id: "tt1649419"
tmdb_id: 80278
wikidata_id: "Q277038"
fi1m_score: 72
critics_score: 61
critics_reviews: 21
published: "2026-09-24T09:46:53.742896+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-24T09:46:54.340394+00:00"
region: "KR"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Impossible (2012)

Directed by J. A. Bayona · 1h 53m · KMRB 12 · Drama, Thriller, History

## Identity

The Impossible

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-impossible
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-impossible
- **IMDb ID:** tt1649419
- **TMDB ID:** 80278
- **Wikidata ID:** Q277038
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1649419/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/80278, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q277038

**Fi1m score: 72** · Critics 61 from 21 reviews

*In a sentence:* Naomi Watts and Tom Holland can make us cry without the musical supervision

> J. A. Bayona makes the tsunami frightening and the family worth caring about. *The Impossible* is gripping, often moving filmmaking, weakened by insistent sentiment and its limited interest in the Thai people caught in the same catastrophe.

## Synopsis

A tsunami strikes Thailand, and the Bennett family faces a struggle for survival. Maria Bennett (Naomi Watts) confronts the disaster alongside her son Lucas Bennett (Tom Holland), whose own fear competes with the need to help his mother. Henry Bennett (Ewan McGregor), Thomas Bennett (Samuel Joslin) and Simon Bennett (Oaklee Pendergast) are also caught in the catastrophe. Around them, Thai people endure the same devastation while helping the visitors. Maria and Lucas need safety, but the people they turn to are struggling with the disaster too. Staying alive requires help from strangers as well as from each other.

## Review

*The Impossible* is a gripping disaster thriller, with performances strong enough to survive its more insistent efforts to make us cry. J. A. Bayona brings us close to one family facing a tsunami, and the physical terror is hard to shake. Following a handful of people makes the disaster comprehensible without lengthy explanation. The trouble is that the Thai people enduring it remain so much harder to know.

We were frightened by the tsunami sequence, because the force of the water and the battering sound leave so little room to recover. Óscar Faura’s cinematography gives the water a punishing physical presence, without making the destruction something to sit back and admire. The editing by Bernat Vilaplana and Elena Ruiz Guitart sustains that pressure without blunting each separate shock. Eugenio Caballero’s production design makes the damage feel substantial, and the combined effect is properly distressing.

Naomi Watts gives the family drama its credibility through the physical strain of her largely wordless performance. She makes Maria Bennett’s concern for her son immediate, even when the script is working hard to underline it. Tom Holland is particularly good as Lucas Bennett, allowing fear to remain visible beneath the demands being made of him. Their dependence on each other keeps the film moving emotionally when the writing becomes too eager to tell us how much human beings can endure.

Ewan McGregor also finds something convincing in a parent who cannot maintain his composure. His distress feels awkward and exposed, which helps in a film that can otherwise seem rather practised at producing tears. Sergio G. Sánchez’s screenplay gives the family relationships enough clarity for us to understand what everyone needs from everyone else. It is less sure when private suffering begins to stand for the experience of an entire disaster, and the later melodrama presses harder than these actors require.

Thai survivors receive too little attention for the film’s appeals to shared humanity to feel earned. They chiefly provide help, while the Bennetts receive the detailed fears and feelings that make characters matter. A family drama cannot follow everybody, but it can be curious about the people its family depends on. We learn too little about those doing the helping.

Fernando Velázquez’s music adds to the pressure, sometimes past the point of usefulness. The performances already communicate fear and attachment clearly, and the score’s emotional insistence can make an affecting scene feel overmanaged. The same problem troubles the later pacing: there is less trust in our response, and more time spent encouraging it. After the directness of the tsunami, these repeated appeals become tiring, though the bond between mother and son remains persuasive.

By the standards of disaster thrillers, the physical danger is unusually convincing, and the family gives us a reason to stay with it. We recommend it for the acting and the frightening clarity of the tsunami sequence, with a firm caveat about the sentiment that follows. The restricted attention to Thai suffering remains troubling even while the family’s ordeal holds us. A 12A certificate is no promise of a comfortable family evening.

*Fi1m score 72, published 24 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean modestly positive, with broad agreement on the force of the tsunami sequence and much less agreement on the drama around it. Critics repeatedly praise the effects, editing and sound for making the disaster frighteningly physical. Naomi Watts and Tom Holland attract particular praise, especially for their scenes together. Supporters find that the close attention to one family makes an immense catastrophe emotionally comprehensible without softening its horror.

The spread is wide, and the reservations concern both sentimentality and whose suffering receives attention. Several critics find the later melodrama overworked, even when the performances move them. Empire admires the physical filmmaking but questions the emphasis on Western victims over Asian victims. Slant Magazine takes that objection much further, condemning the treatment of Thai people chiefly as helpers to white survivors. The central divide is over whether the family focus brings intimacy or an unacceptable narrowing of the tragedy.

## Straight answers

**Is The Impossible worth watching?**

*The Impossible* is worth watching for its convincing physical danger and affecting family performances; we score it 72 out of 100. Naomi Watts and Tom Holland give us reason to care beyond the spectacle. We recommend it to disaster-thriller viewers who can tolerate insistent sentiment, with a further reservation about how little attention it gives Thai survivors.

**How long is The Impossible, and what is it rated?**

*The Impossible* runs 1h 53m and is rated 12 by the KMRB in South Korea. It is a drama and thriller film.

**Where can I watch The Impossible in South Korea?**

*The Impossible* is available to buy from Apple TV from ₩3,500. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is The Impossible, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Impossible* has a UK 12A certificate, but its frightening tsunami sequence makes it a poor choice for younger or easily distressed children. We found the force of the water and the battering sound properly distressing, while the family’s fear adds emotional pressure. It is better suited to teenagers comfortable with sustained danger than to a relaxed family evening.

**How does The Impossible compare to The Sweet Hereafter?**

*The Impossible* offers immediate physical terror and an emotional family survival story, while [*The Sweet Hereafter*](https://film.one/film/the-sweet-hereafter) observes grief after catastrophe more patiently and with less reassurance. We favour *The Sweet Hereafter* for a quieter treatment of bereavement, though its fragmented storytelling can feel conspicuously arranged. *The Impossible* is the stronger choice for viewers seeking a gripping disaster thriller.

**What should I watch after The Impossible?**

After *The Impossible*, try [*The Sweet Hereafter*](https://film.one/film/the-sweet-hereafter) (1997, Fi1m 88): For the grief after a catastrophe, observed without much appetite for reassurance. Then [*The Rescue*](https://film.one/film/the-rescue) (2021, Fi1m 78): A documentary about rescue that makes competence as absorbing as danger.

### Reviews we read (21)

- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Deborah Young (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it an emotionally realistic and frightening disaster film, praising its sustained tension and performances. She singles out Tom Holland’s portrayal of Lucas and the tsunami sequence’s visceral impact. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/impossible-toronto-review-369260/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (85/100, inferred): Sharkey finds the film profoundly moving and affecting, praising its balance between disaster spectacle and intimate family drama. She particularly singles out the poignant bond between Maria and Lucas and the sensitivity with which the film depicts the tsunami’s human cost. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2012-dec-20-la-et-mn-the-impossible-20121221-story.html)
- **The Guardian**, Damon Wise (80/100, inferred): Wise finds the film affecting and powerful, praising its emotional immediacy and human scale. He singles out Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor’s performances, especially Watts’s scenes with Tom Holland. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/sep/12/impossible-review)
- **Total Film**, Kevin Harley (4/5): Harley finds the film smart, sensitive and deeply affecting, praising Bayona’s careful balance of tragedy and hope. He singles out the tsunami sequence’s visceral force and the cast’s performances, especially Naomi Watts and Tom Holland. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-impossible-review/)
- **Variety**, Justin Chang (78/100, inferred): Chang praises the film as a harrowing, masterfully made disaster drama, while noting that its emotional manipulation and imposed-feeling conclusion blunt its later impact. He singles out the visceral tsunami sequence and detailed soundscape for their extraordinary physical intensity. [Read](https://variety.com/2012/film/markets-festivals/the-impossible-1117948281/)
- **Empire**, Guy Lodge (75/100, inferred): Lodge finds the film a rousing, superbly acted feat of physical filmmaking, despite its Anglicised approach to the tragedy. He praises the tsunami sequence’s effects and sound design, while criticizing the focus on Western victims over Asian victims. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/impossible-review/)
- **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (B-): Kohn finds the film a visceral technical achievement weakened by overwrought sentimentality. He particularly praises Bayona’s terrifying, visually striking reconstruction of the tsunami. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/toronto-review-juan-antonio-bayonas-the-impossible-is-an-intense-realization-of-the-2004-tsunami-at-odds-with-overstated-sentimentalism-241703/)
- **Screen Daily**, Allan Hunter (65/100, inferred): The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also does not show what the critic praised or criticized. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/the-impossible/5046439.article)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or complaint could be verified. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-impossible-2012)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page returned an access error, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. No specific praise or complaint can be reliably identified from the available text. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/movies/the-impossible-with-naomi-watts-and-ewan-mcgregor.html)
- **Evening Standard**, The Standard (3/5): The critic finds the film tremendously powerful, though at times relentlessly tearful and over-manipulative. The immersive, superbly edited tsunami sequence is singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-impossible-review-8438065.html)
- **Time Out**, Eric Hynes (2/5): Hynes gives the film 2/5, faulting its framing of global calamity through a white perspective. The available text singles out that perspective as the central complaint. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-impossible)
- **The Independent**, Anthony Quinn (30/100, inferred): Quinn finds the film technically impressive and emotionally affecting, but ultimately complacent and insensitive in narrowing a mass tragedy to one privileged Western family. He especially praises Naomi Watts’s performance and the tsunami’s vivid, forceful depiction. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/film-review-the-impossible-naomi-watts-makes-waves-but-it-s-not-a-perfect-storm-8437566.html)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (30/100, inferred): Ebiri criticizes the film as manipulative and tactless, despite praising its direction and performances. He singles out Naomi Watts’s compelling physical performance while faulting the story’s focus on a white family amid the largely ignored suffering of Thai survivors. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2012/12/movie-review-the-impossible.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (0.5/4): The critic condemns the film as a tasteless disaster spectacle that distorts the tsunami’s human toll. He especially objects to its erasure of Thai suffering, portraying local people chiefly as helpers to white survivors. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-impossible/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Kenji Lloyd (5/5): The critic calls the film a powerful, harrowing must-see and praises its emotional impact. He singles out Ewan McGregor’s breakdown scene and describes his performance as Oscar-worthy. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/tiff-2012-the-impossible-review/)
- **The Wrap** (80/100, inferred): The critic finds it an intense, intimate family drama that effectively conveys the family’s bravery and resourcefulness. Naomi Watts’s largely wordless performance is singled out as the standout. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/impossible-review-its-horrifying-tsunami-and-you-are-there-70286/)
- **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (75/100, inferred): Wilkinson finds the film visceral and compelling, though knowingly melodramatic and emotionally manipulative. She singles out its disaster effects and the strong performances, especially Tom Holland's. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-impossible-2012-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)
- **The Skinny**, Jamie Dunn (★★): Dunn finds the film crippled by its focus on a British family during an Asian disaster, despite its effective opening. He praises the realistic tsunami sequence and Tom Holland’s standout performance, but criticizes the later melodrama. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-impossible)
- **Collider**, Harrison Pierce (35/100, inferred): The critic finds the film well-made and acted but ultimately unsuccessful as either conventional disaster entertainment or fully devastating drama. They praise the tsunami sequence’s realism and intensity, while faulting the film for narrowing its focus and failing to convey the scale of the tragedy. [Read](https://collider.com/the-impossible-blu-ray-review/)
- **The Playlist** (30/100, inferred): The headline signals a negative verdict, describing the film as overwrought and drowning in melodrama. The available page does not reveal a specific element the critic singles out beyond its melodramatic tone. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-overwrought-the-impossible-drowns-in-a-sea-of-melodrama-20121221/)

## Details

- **Director:** J. A. Bayona
- **Director:** J. A. Bayona
- **Writer:** Sergio G. Sánchez
- **Story:** María Belón
- **Cinematography:** Óscar Faura
- **Editor:** Elena Ruiz Guitart, Bernat Vilaplana
- **Music:** Fernando Velázquez
- **Production design:** Eugenio Caballero
- **Costume design:** Anna Bingemann, Sparka Lee Hall, María Reyes
- **Producer:** Belén Atienza Azcona, Ghislain Barrois, Álvaro Augustín
- **Cast:** Naomi Watts as Maria Bennett; Ewan McGregor as Henry Bennett; Tom Holland as Lucas Bennett; Samuel Joslin as Thomas Bennett; Oaklee Pendergast as Simon Bennett; Marta Etura as Simone; Sönke Möhring as Karl Schweber; Geraldine Chaplin as Old Woman
- **Runtime:** 1h 53m
- **Certificate (KMRB):** 12
- **Release (South Korea):** 17 January 2013
- **Genres:** Drama, Thriller, History
- **Budget:** $45 million
- **Box office:** $198 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaY8EeUYh10

## Where to watch in South Korea

- Apple TV: buy ₩3,500, sd

*Checked 2026-09-24.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, MX, NL, NO, PA, PH, PL, PT, SE, SG, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2013: Best Actress (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Actress 2013: European Film Award for Best Actress (nominated)
- European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film 2013: European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Aftershock* (2010): Another family faces a natural catastrophe, with more room for the aftermath.
- *The Wave* (2015): A Norwegian disaster thriller with clear geography and an equally vulnerable family.
- *A Night to Remember* (1958): Patient, unsentimental disaster filmmaking that keeps looking beyond its most prominent passengers.
- *The Sweet Hereafter* (1997), Fi1m 88: For the grief after a catastrophe, observed without much appetite for reassurance. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-sweet-hereafter.md)
- *The Rescue* (2021), Fi1m 78: A documentary about rescue that makes competence as absorbing as danger. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-rescue.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-impossible