The Impossible (2012)
- Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a hidden easter egg referencing J. A. Bayona's previous film in the background of the opening scene.
- The original script for The Impossible was written over a decade before production finally began in 2012.
- The incredible score for The Impossible was composed in just a few weeks after the original composer dropped out.
The Impossible is a 2012 Spanish disaster drama directed by J.A. Bayona, based on the true story of the BelΓ³n family's experience during the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor star as Maria and Henry Bennett, a couple vacationing in Thailand with their three sons when the tsunami strikes their resort with catastrophic force, separating the family.
Maria and her eldest son Lucas are swept inland, with Maria suffering life-threatening injuries, while Henry and the two younger boys are left at the destroyed resort, desperately searching for their missing family members. The tsunami sequence was one of the most technically impressive and emotionally harrowing natural disaster depictions ever filmed β J.A. Bayona combined practical water effects shot in a massive wave tank with CGI enhancement to create an overwhelming, chaotic experience that audiences found physically difficult to watch.
Naomi Watts earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of a mother fighting to survive for her son despite devastating injuries. The Impossible earned $198 million worldwide on a $45 million budget.
