4 popcorns
Tissues in hand, this film took me on a roller coaster of emotions which lead me to tears on several occasions. The music, editing and acting were in a different class enabling you to feel that are apart of this natural disaster. A true story based on one families experience through the tsunami that hit south Asia in 2004, Ewan Mcgregor and Naomi Watts play the parents of 3 boys who are all swept away in different directions. Through the tears you cannot ignore the spectacular mise en scene which enhances every aspect of this piece. The music switches from silence under water to only hearing the debris hitting the character as they struggle to resurface under the fast paced current. Point of view shots using a hand held camera transforms you into the position of the people suffering the pain as well as crane shots which shows you the sheer magnitude of the destruction.
Overall the film highlights the physical and emotional terror this family suffers in the attempt to reunite. The cinematography helps bring all the elements together to not only to appreciate the extent of this event but also to pull at your heart strings.
