The film is a brave attempt to capture this terrible, devastating event in the shots. The scope of the film is so large that too many people have lost their lives and there is no way to even play their full role in the film. But director Juan Antonio Bayona and screenwriter Sergio reflect the horror of the whole thing by cleverly telling the true story of a family struggling to survive on December 26, 2004.
The cinematic footage resonated with the audience
Reflecting big events from a small perspective makes the film more intimate with the audience, so the audience can quickly resonate emotionally with the Bennetts. From the moment they arrived in Thailand, the audience was filled with fear of what was about to happen, but the Bennetts were overjoyed and had a great time on vacation. However, when the tsunami hit their resort in a terrible way, everything soon changed drastically, with people trying to flee before protecting themselves from their terrible forces, and the tsunami swept them away.
Eye-catching plots
At this time, I also felt that I was about to drown. The camera swings up and down in the darkness, bobbing up and down in the water, while Maria, the family's matriarch, is breathing hard. Then, clutching a palm tree in despair, her screams were so vivid that no one could help her in her moments of despair and shock. It was at this time that she saw her son Lucas floating on the rough sea. I held my breath and watched as they seemed to be coming together forever in the water.
Cast review one
Lucas is brilliantly played by newcomer Tom Hollander, and in a way, Lucas drives the film forward from this point. He played the role of protecting his mother, who was stubborn but was seriously injured. In the process, he was forced to mature too quickly. At every moment, his emotions and facial expressions conveyed more information than any words, as she hid from his mother, frightened by her mother's body, and at the same time tried to hold back the immense pain and cope with the predicament.
Actor review two
However, the film really revolves around his mother, Maria. Naomi Watts' performance in this film is probably his best performance to date. She painted a painful picture of despair, she showed tenacious determination in the face of incredible pain and suffering, and in the end, despite the deteriorating condition, she showed love and care. True, she is bedridden for half the time in the film, but it is during this time that there are some small moments of tenderness and humility that undoubtedly make Watts's performance one of the best of her year.
Actor reviews three
The fact that all the actors are special, including Ivan McGregor (whose father desperately wants to get his family back together), Thomas played by Samuel Joslin, and Simon played by Oakley Pendergast, both of whose youngest sons are innocent, makes it impossible for them to fully understand the gravity of this tragedy. The stories of these three people are intertwined with the stories of Maria and Lucas. They all struggle to survive in destruction and reunite in chaos.
Conclusion
Finally, it is a touching, heart-warming film, because in this era of great loss, the true goodness of human beings can be seen. Yes, the tsunami is terrible, the injury is terrible, the shocking reality, and the pain and suffering can be seen on almost everyone's face. However, the Bennetts' story is an extraordinary story of love, determination, and hope that must not be missed