Nim's Island

Cast:
Jodie Foster, Abigail Breslin & Gerard Butler
Director: Mark Levin & Jennifer Flackett

Anything can happen on Nim's Island, a magical place ruled by a young girl's imagination. It is an existence that mirrors that of her favorite literary character, Alex Rover - the world's greatest adventurer. But Alexandra, the author of the Rover books, leads a reclusive life in the big city. When Nim's father goes missing from their island, a twist of fate brings her together with Alexandra. Now they must draw courage from their fictional hero, Alex Rover, and find strength in one another to conquer Nim's Island.

Action/Adventure, Comedy, Kids/Family, Science Fiction/Fantasy, 1 hr. 36 min, PG

ATKBO Review

Nim (Abigail Breslin) 11, lives with her father Jack (Gerard Butler) a marine biologist alone on an island in the middle of the ocean. One day Jack sets out to sea for one of his expeditions to find new species, and Nim assures him that she can look after herself while he’s gone. He is expected to be gone for just two days however he is gets caught in a storm and neither can get in touch with one another. Nim who is adamant her father will be back continues to go about her days with her friends on the island which includes, Selkie, a sea lion and Fred an iguana.
The next day Nim notices a ship board the island and the people start to have a look around, Nim tries to lure them away be creating certain incidents throughout the island. Meanwhile she has been communicating via email with fictional writer Alex Rover (Jodie Foster) who’s trying to get hold of Jack for inspiration on her latest novel. Nim is a fan of Alex’s series of books which has Alex Rover as a hero put in dangerous and exciting adventures. Nim eventually gets Alex to come to the island as she is very lonely and is starting to worry about her missing father and thinks Alex would be able to help like in her stories. Only thing is that Alex Rover the writer is very much the opposite of the adventurer Alex Rover as she finds it even hard to leave her own apartment.

The film is fine if you take away the poor parenting and cheesy fantasy sequences Butler plays as Rover. Sadly it didn’t live up to its expectations which promised so much more. Breslin’s performance was lacking that extra punch mostly due to her very busy schedule and fatigue probably setting in. Hard to fault Foster, change of role worked for her I believe showing her in a lighter role as to her previous performances in darker roles. Butler would have been wishing he passed on it at the time.

ATKBO Ratings

• = A Bloody Classic!!!
• = Pretty Bloody Good!
• = Fair
• = Dumb
• = Bloody Awful