PRINTTake Two: Nim's Island
Courtesy of Walden Media
April 10, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Ever dreamed of having your own private island in the South Pacific complete with tame, helpful animal friends and that most essential modern tool — an Apple computer?
For precocious young Nim (Abigail Breslin), it’s more than a just a dream — it’s her life. And if it sounds too good to be true, consider that Nim and her brilliant, buff marine biologist father (Gerard Butler) have only each other in their little world. Nim’s mother, an oceanographer, perished in a freak accident at sea when Nim was just a baby.
History seems in danger of repeating itself after Nim’s father is stranded aboard a leaky boat far away from their idyllic home. To save him, Nim e-mails a plea to her hero, the famous adventurer Alex Rover (also Gerard Butler), whose wardrobe looks suspiciously like that of Indiana Jones.
There’s only one problem — the real Alex Rover is actually Alexandra (Jodie Foster), an agoraphobic writer who can barely work up the nerve to collect her mail outside. Will she be able to overcome her anxieties to come to the aid of her No. 1 fan and discover her own sense of adventure in the process?
Mixing the predictable children’s movie ingredients of visual slapstick and forced sentimentality, Nim’s Island is about as enjoyable as the average made-for-TV offerings of the Disney Channel and only slightly more well-produced. The movie is so lighthearted it seems in danger of floating off the screen like an errant balloon. Any kids amused by the cute animal antics in the previews are better off following the lead of Nim and reading a book — such as the one upon which this film was based.
Vox Rating:
