Technological Technological University of the Philippines Philippines 1000 Ayala Blvd., Ermita, Manila
College of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering
TE 52 Earthquake Engineering
Reaction paper: “The Impossible” Movie Review
Crema, Ross Arvin A. 15 – 205 205 – 201 201
Date of Submission: June 30, 2016
Engr. Edmund Dela Cruz Instructor
In December 26, 2004 a massive earthquake struck off the Coast of Sumatra. The resulting series of tsunamis killed an estimated 230,000 people in Asian countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. The movie, Lo Imposible, is an English-language Spanish disaster drama film based on Maria Belon and her family’s first-hand experience in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Tsunami is defined as a large wave of ocean usually caused by an undersea earthquake, volcanic eruption or coastal landslide. Maria Bennett, a physician in the movie, goes to a Christmas holiday in Orchid Beach Resort in Kho Lak, Thailand with her husband Henry and their three sons Lucas, Thomas, and Simon. Arriving on Christmas Eve, they settle in and enjoy t he ambiance of the resort before the massive tsunami inundates the area. The event swept apart the family as they swirl into the lethal current with fallen trees, debris and bodies. After sometime, the heavily-wounded Maria found her eldest son, Lucas, and walked into another survivor named Daniel as they stayed on top of a tree. Soon after, some natives rescued the three and is brought to the hospital for Maria needs a serious medical treatment. Being a physician in nature, Maria would want to help others even with her condition and therefore asks Lucas to help others find their family members at the facility. Lucas returns to his mother and finds an empty bed and he is taken to a tent where children without families are put. Refusing to accept that his mother is dead, the mistake is discovered when Lucas can’t identify the belongings of the dead woman and is subsequently reunited with his mother. Henry, Thomas and Simon have also survived the tsunami. Believing that it will be safe in the mountains, he asked a woman to take his boys under her supervision as Henry searches for Maria and Lucas. Communication facilities are scare but a tourist named Karl lends Henry his phone to contact his relatives. Karl, who is also separated from his family, volunteers to accompany Henry in his search. They search for their families in various places before they arrive at the hospital, where Henry sees the woman to whom Thomas and Simon were entrusted. The vehicle carrying Thomas and Simon stops outside the hospital. From a distance, Lucas recognizes his father and while searching him out, Lucas' siblings hear him calling out in frustration. Henry learns that Maria is at that location and they reunite. Maria has surgery, which she survives, and the following day the family boards an ambulance airplane to Singapore for Maria's further medical treatment, arranged by their insurance company.
The movie, The Impossible, is too bold. It did not sugar-coat what happened in the tsunami. I am amazed by how the directors and the actors made the film seem like it actually happened—by how Maria and Lucas expressed every single emotion. “Nothing is more powerful than the human spirit.” On the first scenes, we are shown an ideal family life. We saw the beauty of the Bennett family enjoying their holiday. But after the tragedy, it clearly emphasized that our lives are plain, simple and ordinary. The film depicted the truth that every human is vulnerable. We saw the times when Maria and Lucas almost give up but still stood strong for each other. We knew what Henry would sacrifice just to know the whereabouts of Maria and Lucas. Lastly, we are reminded how much we value our f amily. Though the film is focused on how the family will reunite, it did not overlook the role of other individuals upon making the film more meaningful. First, the natives in the film. We saw how they helped the victims even if they were of different human race. And second, the other victims, on how they tried to be strong for each other and help others as much as they could. It just shows that even if everything seems dark, there will always be a ray of light. All in all, I consider this movie as exceptional. It may have tear my heart a dozen time from seeing wound injuries but three learnings may have heal this wounds. First, never take your family for granted. Second, you are more privi leged than others so be grateful. And third, everybody is capable of doing greater things— just have the belief that you can.