Nothing is more powerful than the human spirit.
In December 2004, close-knit family Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand. But the day after Christmas, the idyllic holiday turns into an incomprehensible nightmare when a terrifying roar rises from the depths of the sea, followed by a wall of black water that devours everything in its path. Though Maria and her family face their darkest hour, unexpected displays of kindness and courage ameliorate their terror.
Naomi Watts
Maria Bennett
Ewan McGregor
Henry Bennett
Tom Holland
Lucas Bennett
Samuel Joslin
Thomas Bennett
Oaklee Pendergast
Simon Bennett
Marta Etura
Simone
Sönke Möhring
Karl Schweber
Geraldine Chaplin
Old Woman
Ploy Jindachote
Caregiver
Jomjaoi Sae-Limh
Red Cross Nurse
Johan Sundberg
Daniel
Jan Roland 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
Director
J. A. Bayona
Writers
María Belón, Sergio G. Sánchez
Óscar Faura
Director of Photography
Fernando Velázquez
Original Music Composer
María Reyes
Costume Design
Anna Bingemann
Costume Design
Sparka Lee Hall
Costume Design
Eugenio Caballero
Production Design
Andres Gomez
9/30/2014
Incredible story with remarkable performances by Naomi Watts and Tom Holland and amazing staging. However, Bayona repeats the same mistakes from other movies like "The Orphanage" when he creates an uneasy situation through some unexplained weird behavior.
badelf
2/4/2024
Another amazing story based in truth. I think it's called The Impossible because those sets must have been near impossible.
CinemaSerf
3/9/2024
After a bit of a bumpy flight to Thailand, a family arrive in Phuket for what ought to have been a dream holiday. Well mother nature had other plans and a earthquake far out at sea generated a series of tsunamis that we now know killed almost a quarter of a million people. That could well have included "Henry" (Ewan McGregor), "Maria" (Naomi Watts) and their children "Lucas" (Tom Holland), "Simon" (Oaklee Pendergast) and "Thomas" (Samuel Joslin) but despite being out in the first wave of the encroaching water, they somehow manage to cling onto anything that will float, to the sturdy trunks of the trees and though separated do survive. That's just the start of their troubles, though - "Maria" is severely injured and with their elder and quite smart son "Lukas". The others - so we are fortunately spared much of the mediocre McGregor - are elsewhere with all looking to repatriate amidst the chaos of debris and mayhem left by the now retreated seawater. The thrust of the drama features mother and son, with quite decent and convincing efforts from both as they must make it to some semblance of safety and then try to get much needed medical help. It's based on the real event, and the photography quite potently illustrates just how devastating the waves were on these low lying islands that were designed for pleasure and tranquility - there were no sea defences and the structures ill-prepared for the sheer power of the swell. There's a spirit to the narrative too - the locals and the tourists all mucking together to help in a veritable hotchpotch of languages and priorities. The pacing is frenetic at times, lingering at others and that also helps give us a sense of the perils faced by all trying to come to terms with the destruction and this is a surprisingly better watch than I was expecting.
Felicity
6/9/2025
Movies like this make me very sad. 😭😭😭 They also frighten me. The acting is superb.
