The Impossible (2012)
Nothing is more powerful than the human spirit.
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.
Rent on Prime Video $3.99 (opens in a new tab) Buy on Prime Video $14.99 (opens in a new tab)
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 9 September 2012 |
| Genre | Drama, Thriller, History |
| Director | J. A. Bayona |
| Starring | Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland |
| Runtime | 113 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 7.3/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 82% · Metacritic 73/100 · TMDB users 7.4/10 |
| Budget | $45 million |
Where to watch The Impossible
The Impossible is streaming on Netflix ($19.99 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Netflix is $19.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 31 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent or buy The Impossible on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The Impossible in 12 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Andorra | Netflix |
| Angola | Prime Video |
| Australia | ARD/ZDF |
| Denmark | Prime Video 69 kr DKK |
| Finland | Prime Video €6.99 |
| Italy | Prime Video €4.99 |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Norway | Prime Video 79 kr NOK |
| San Marino | Prime Video |
| South Korea | Wavve ₩10900, Watcha |
| Sweden | Prime Video 69 kr SEK |
| Vatican City | Prime Video |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
J. A. Bayona’s 2012 drama strips away the spectacle of a tsunami to focus on the chaos of separation. It is 113 minutes of panic, where the ocean is not a monster but an indifferent force that scatters a family. Naomi Watts anchors the survival, turning a holiday nightmare into a study of how people hold on when the ground disappears. The film trusts the audience to sit with the fear rather than look away. It is a tense, unglamorous look at endurance.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes reports an 82% approval rating from 206 critics, alongside an average score of 7.3 out of 10. Metacritic places the weighted mean at 73 out of 100, a figure that signals generally favorable reviews. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded it a perfect four-star rating, calling it "one of the best films of the year." He specifically praised the direction and the performances of Watts and McGregor. The consensus on Rotten Tomatoes notes the screenplay is slightly weaker than the acting, but the real-life story keeps it compelling.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Impossible.
Sources
- The Impossible on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q277038 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Impossible (2012 film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
Watch it without paying for the whole year
Binge Boss tracks the movie you are on and tells you which services you need this month, and which you can cancel.
Add The Impossible to your list