The Impossible is fast becoming the must-see movie of the week.

Starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor as a couple separated by a tsunami as they holiday with their children in Thailand. Based on the real-life events of the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, JA Bayona’s dramatic portrayal of a family caught up in the devastation one of the world’s biggest natural disasters has been hailed by The Telegraph as a “logistically astonishing white-knuckle disaster movie.”

Based on the story of the Belon family from Spain (though changed to a British family for the purpose of the movie), the movie is propelled by “stunning practical effects,” and impressive stunts – one of which reportedly left Naomi Watts fearing for her life as she was forced underwater and unable to breathe, as technicians failed to release her on time.

The movie is not without criticism, though. Bayona ignores – to his discredit – the Thai locals, who are seen as “saintly helpmeets,” rather than victims of the disaster in their own right. The tale focuses on the plight of these tourists, rather than the effect of the disaster on those who live there. That said, the emotional impact of the film is clearly hard-hitting and The Telegraph aren’t the only media outlet to praise the physically and dramatically impressive, compelling tale. So far, the movie has garnered an impressive 74% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it a solid recommendation for anyone trying make a choice for this weekend’s cinema.