Watts, too, is extraordinary - she manages both the physical and emotional demands of the role, with soul-deep conviction.
Clint Eastwood's 2010 film, Hereafter, also re-created the Indian Ocean tsunami that hit Thailand. It was an effective piece of cinema, but it is nothing compared to the visceral realism that Bayona and his team achieve. And yet, The Impossible isn't just a brilliantly executed disaster movie. It's a brilliantly executed movie that asks us to contemplate the seemingly random and indiscriminate brutality of the planet we live on, and also the resilience, compassion, and courage we are capable of.