What is the iRankMovies score for The Impossible?

Name: The Impossible
Director: J. A. Bayona
Genre: drama, history, thriller
Released: 2012
Duration: 1 h 53 min
Rating: 7.5

The Impossible has an iRankMovies score of 76.1/100, based on a weighted combination of IMDb (×3.0), Rotten Tomatoes (×2.0), Metacritic (×1.5), and TMDb (×1.0).

The Impossible (2012)

Nothing is more powerful than the human spirit.

Release:2012

Runtime:1h 53m

Country:Spain

Director:J. A. Bayona

Language:English

Genre

DramaHistoryThriller

See the best drama movies →

Keywords

Human Vs NatureNatural DisasterThailandBased On True StoryTsunamiHistorical FictionFamily VacationStruggle For Survival

iRank76

The Impossible rating: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic

IMDb7.5/10· 262K votes

Rotten Tomatoes81%

Metacritic73%

TMDb7.4/10· 7K votes

With 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, backed by 7.5/10 on IMDb and 73/100 on Metacritic, critical reception of this film has been positive.

About The Impossible

In December 2004, close-knit family Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand. But the day after Christmas, the idyllic holiday turns into an incomprehensible nightmare when a terrifying roar rises from the depths of the sea, followed by a wall of black water that devours everything in its path. Though Maria and her family face their darkest hour, unexpected displays of kindness and courage ameliorate their terror.

Cast of The Impossible

Naomi Watts
as Maria Bennett
Ewan McGregor
as Henry Bennett
Tom Holland
as Lucas Bennett
Samuel Joslin
as Thomas Bennett
Oaklee Pendergast
as Simon Bennett
Marta Etura
as Simone
Sönke Möhring
as Karl Schweber
Geraldine Chaplin
as Old Woman
Ploy Jindachote
as Caregiver
J
Jomjaoi Sae-Limh
as Red Cross Nurse
J
Johan Sundberg
as Daniel
J
Jan Roland Sundberg
as Daniel's Father

The Impossible facts

Budget: $45M
Box office: $198.1M

Our take on The Impossible

J. A. Bayona's disaster drama draws on the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, following Maria, Henry and their three sons whose Thailand vacation is shattered the day after Christmas when a wall of black water engulfs everything. Separated and injured, the family faces its darkest hours, sustained by unexpected acts of kindness and courage among strangers. Bayona stages the catastrophe with harrowing physical immediacy, then narrows to an intimate story of endurance and reunion. It suits viewers drawn to emotionally intense, survival-driven cinema and true-event drama, though the raw depictions of injury and chaos make it demanding. Those seeking lighter fare should look elsewhere; here the focus is human resilience.

Ranked by the iRankMovies editorial teamUpdated August 2026Methodology Data sources

Audience opinions

What the audience liked

•Intense survival drama and disaster spectacle create visceral tension effectively
•True story foundation lends emotional authenticity to family tragedy narrative
•Harrowing cinematography and direction capture catastrophic sequences powerfully