Warning! This post contains minor spoilers for La Palma and The Impossible.
Netflix’s brand-new trending miniseriesLa Palmais a perfect reminder to watch Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland’s 2012 disaster movieThe Impossible.La Palmawas just released on Netflix on December 12th, 2024, and it is already among the platform’s best-performing recent additions.The cast ofLa Palmafeatures a host of Norwegian actors, some seasoned and others brand-new, and the miniseries is therefore dubbed in English.
The story centers primarily on a family vacationing on the island of La Palma, one of the Canary Islands, which belongs (both in the series and in real life) to Spain. During what was otherwise an idyllic vacation, a volcano on the island erupts, sending a massive 80-foot tsunami hurtling toward the island.La Palmatherefore joins the ranks of countless disaster movies and shows—among thema 12-year-old movie also featuring a devastating tsunami that stars Tom Holland and Ewan McGregor.
Tom Holland & Ewan McGregor’s The Impossible Is Another Dramatic Tsunami Disaster Movie About A Family On Vacation
This 2012 Movie Has So Much In Common With La Palma
LikeLa Palma,The Impossiblebegins with a family going on vacation in a beautiful location. InThe Impossible, this is Khao Lak, Thailand. The cast comprises Henry (Ewan McGregor), the father, and Maria (Naomi Watts), the mother, alongside their three children, Lucas (Tom Holland), Thomas (Samuel Joslin), and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast).
The Impossiblealso shares beats similar to those inLa Palma, with the family enjoying their vacation entirely unaware of what is coming when things suddenly take a very dark turn. This is slightly different inLa Palmabecause, although the family has no idea they are about to experience a tsunami, the evidence has been mounting for those around them.InThe Impossible, the giant wave comes entirely out of nowhere, giving them no chance of escape.
This makesThe Impossiblea perfect next watch for viewers who lovedLa Palma.
This makesThe Impossiblea perfect next watch for viewers who lovedLa Palma. In fact, arguably,The Impossibleis even more thrilling because there is not as much buildup to the disaster event—viewers are taken by surprise at the very same time the characters are. The movie also shows in much greater detail what the fallout from this horrific incident entailed.
How The Accuracy Of La Palma’s Natural Disaster Emergency Compares To The Impossible
The Impossible Is Based On A True Story, Whereas La Palma Is Not
Incredibly,The Impossibleis based on the true story of a family who experienced the real-life tsunami that hit Thailand in 2004. In fact, the family even played a role in the creation of the movie, adding to its sense of authenticity. This is another major difference between the two disaster stories, asLa Palmais not based on a true story.
The Impossible True Story: How Accurate The Tsunami Movie Is
The Impossible is based on a true story, so how accurate is the movie’s tsunami storyline? Here’s what you need to know about María Belón’s guidance.
La Palmais not entirely fabricated, though. As mentioned, La Palma is a real location in the Canary Islands, and the island has experienced volcanic eruptions in the past. As the introduction of each episode ofLa Palmanotes, since its last eruption, La Palma has also been seen as a"ticking time bomb"by some. Specifically, there has been scientific research from theUniversity of California Santa Cruzsuggesting that a disaster could occur if there was a landslide, similar to the one seen in the miniseries.
As is true of the disaster movie/show genre in general, bothLa PalmaandThe Impossibletake liberties in terms of realistic depictions of natural disasters.
Of course, as is true of the disaster movie/show genre in general, bothLa PalmaandThe Impossibletake liberties in terms of realistic depictions of natural disasters.La Palmahas especially received some backlash for this, particularly with the conclusion of the series, which sees some truly logic-defying survivals. Nevertheless, that is part of the appeal of disaster stories for many, and viewers who lovedLa Palmashould therefore absolutely giveThe Impossiblea watch.
La Palma
Cast
A Norwegian family vacationing in La Palma faces chaos when a young researcher uncovers disturbing evidence of potential volcanic activity. As fears escalate, the possibility of a catastrophic eruption and tsunami looms, threatening the idyllic setting and testing the family’s resilience amidst a looming natural disaster.
The Impossible
The Impossible is a disaster drama film based on the true story of a family’s survival during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Directed by J.A. Bayona and starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, the film chronicles the harrowing experiences and resilience of a family caught in one of the deadliest natural disasters in history, as they struggle to reunite amidst the chaos and devastation.
