A likable but mostly inconsequential and too often illogical fantasy-adventure, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin’s Nim’s Island should prove modest entertainment for younger audiences.
Abigail Breslin stars as Nim Rusoe, a young girl who lives on a deserted island with her father Jack (Gerard Butler) and some colorful animal sidekicks and spends her days reading adventure novels starring Alex Rover (also played by Butler).
When Nim’s father gets lost at sea following a torrential storm, she petitions help from the author of her favorite novels, expecting an adventurous hero to come save the day; unbeknownst to her, Alexandra Rover (Jodie Foster) is a reclusive Howard Hughes-like figure who hasn’t left her home in months but nevertheless promises to help Nim. Meanwhile, a cruise ship discovers Nim’s island; her home threatened, she must scare them off.
Film presents a real danger – father lost at sea – a bit too lightly, allowing the situation to be resolved via convenience rather than action of the characters. Meanwhile, we’re asked to take a threat of tourists invading the island seriously; throughout the movie I was asking myself why Nim didn’t petition the cruise ship for help in finding her father rather than concerning herself with driving them away.
Overall, the film represents a mild diversion where nothing of much importance seems to happen; kids should like the island scenes but will likely be baffled by the obsessive-compulsive/agoraphobic Alexandra Rover material which seems to take up at least a quarter of the running time.
At least Foster and (especially) Butler seem to be having fun with the light material.
One Response
The fun of the movie is having tree houses and a seal, dragon lizard , a pelican be your friend living in tree houses it’s pretty basic. It’s every kids top list when you’re in second grade thinking before puberty. Nice escape movie works for me.