First Review: Tsunami: The Aftermath

I must admit I am in two minds about this film.

Why? Because Nine has severely edited this down from a two part to a single telemovie.

The original stands at three hours without ads, but Nine has opted to screen an edited two and a half hours with ads -almost 50% of the material excised.

This production by HBO is a mammoth undertaking. Shot on location in Khao Lak, Phuket and Bangkok, Thailand, it has not opted for any shortcuts. One can only imagine what an emotional shoot this must have been. Recreating such a devastating incident on the very soil in which it took place echoes throughout your mind as this unfolds. There are Thai people on and off-screen bringing this to life.

HBO asserts locals were interviewed for their input prior to production, and the Thai production company Santa Film acted as advisor throughout filming.

Such consultation has delivered great results. HBO’s reputation for quality certainly holds up well here. The destroyed hotels, villages and landscape resemble hell on earth. The production design is outstanding. Complemented by sweeping camera shots and poignant music, there is no escaping this slice of a global tragedy.

Fronting the emotions of the story are a robust ensemble including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Okonedo, Tim Roth, Hugh Bonneville, Samrit Machielsen and Toni Collette. Under direction from Bharat Nalluri they deliver performances wrought with fear, disbelief, anger and an eerie stillness.

Okonedo is outstanding. Collette is terrific as an outreach worker assisting the British Embassy. Other roles are assigned to tourists, a media photographer and a single role of a hotel worker representing the Thai locals.

The moment of the wave striking sits at the top of the drama (14 minutes in the original, 10 in Nine’s edited version). It is quick, chaotic, unforgiving and altogether numbing for the viewer. HBO has staged the moment at the Khao Lak Resort, mixing actual footage with its own recreation. It works to great effect.

Amid the attempt to cope with the tragedy lay cultural differences, notably the burning of bodies by Thai monks who do not believe the human spirit is ever bound by physical bodies. Clearly, this infuriates foreigners. Such moments capture contrasting agendas brilliantly.

Nine’s own editing, undertaken for reasons of pacing, address some criticism from other reviewers that the second half was tedious, laden by too much plot. Perhaps some felt we had lived through too much of this the first time round? Nevertheless, I can’t help but feel key moments including the introduction of characters will be compromised.

That said, Tsunami: The Aftermath is a mighty production. Don’t miss the first ten minutes.

Airs 9:00pm Sunday March 25 on Nine.