THE IMPOSSIBLE; Carlisle's Final Word.

"After that, when I came up, I was on my own. That was the scariest part. And when I saw the two of you climbing to the tree, I didn't feel so scared anymore. I knew I wasn't on my own."

Henry.

Script Logic; 1/2

Pace; 1/2

Acting; 2/2

Aesthetic; 2/2

Originality & Intention; 1/2

Final Score; 7/10






Final Word; In my humble opinion, 7/10 is a too generous score. Oddly, the film is weaker than the some of its parts.

The characters may choose their actions unwisely, and the final verges on ridiculousness, but in the film's defense this is based on (as if you didn't know by now) 'actual events'. Still, that aside, I can only review this as a film.
The true story in itself is life-affirming, but throughout the film I was aware that I was being emotionally manipulated at every turn; from soundtrack to cinematography. I'm aware that every film 'emotionally manipulates' its audience, but here it feels cynical and, dare I say it, exploitative? Almost like the headlines of a gossip magazine: "daddy tried to eat me" and "raped by my own brother while watching cartoons!" All terrible, but it's written to entertain. I'm not given the breathing space here to find my own emotional resolutions, I'm being led by the nose from point A to point B.

Morally I find this film objectionable, which I guess is a strange thing, and for once I find myself at a loss to describe why. I think partly this is because we see this foreign tragedy exclusively through the eyes of white middle class westerners (the only people who count for anything it seems)- while the natural inhabitants simply serve as background dressing. Surely there are countless tales of those who actually lived in the effected area equally as inspirational and full of courage and loss, but I feel like a bunch of cynical produces decided 'nobody will care if they aren't white".
This is not our tragedy to boast of, this was endured by thousands, yet it's us who hog the spotlight.

Still, back to the film review... The acting is top class, with particular kudos to the child actors, and the sets look suitably dangerous and desolate, and while the film does drag in moments (especially if you already know the ending, which is hard to avoid with all the media coverage) it builds to it's inevitable climax with some memorable scenes along the way.