Nim's Island (2008)

LOVE IT

Adventure and Magic and a Handsome man! What more can a girl ask for? Add this one to your collection for those "rainy days"! :) August 27, 2008

Mim's Island

This is a great movie for all ages.
Enjoy watching this with your family. August 26, 2008

Cute little family film

I have to admit that Abigail Breslin is one of the cutest little actresses alive, and now we get her appearance in "Nim's Island." But I would say this..."Nim's Island" seems to be off the edge like a made for television special that you get to see on ABC.

"Nim's Island" is a sweet and charming little movie - mostly made for younger audience. Produced by Fox/Walden, the guys who gave us the previous "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," "Nim's Island" tells the story of a young little girl named Nim (Abigail Breslin) who is left alone on a tropical island after her father is stranded on his boat at sea.

Nim reaches out to her favorite author, Alex Rover (Jodie Foster). Unfortunately for Alex, she is this remarkable lady whose afraid of going outside and just staying inside for three weeks. She then embarks on a journey out at sea to help the poor little lonely girl.

I have to admit that I had a bit of fun with "Nim's Island." It's not the best family film or the most brilliant story you can ever imagine, but it's still a nice, little family film. Sure, Abigail Breslin takes all the charm in the movie for the younger audience, and yes, she doesn't have too much for the older crowd, but the older crowd leads up to Jodie Foster.

The biggest mench in the movie is perhaps Gerard Butler. He at least shines throughout the whole film and he has his alter ego experience that you can ever see him shake in his emotions yet. He was at least a bit more pleasant in this one than in "P.S. I Love You."

Overall, "Nim's Island" is the average you can expect in the taste for a children's family fantasy film. You should at least see it with the child's imagination and still have a fun with it as an adult. But adults shouldn't get too hooked on this type of family film, because what do you expect...it's children's film. August 25, 2008

FUN, FUNNY AND EXOTIC

I don't think Walden Media is ever going to produce a five-star film, so I'm going to stop waiting. They just don't seem to have it in them. They lack the vision, I suppose. So, I'm just going to enjoy the four-star fare that seems to be their forte. Few family films rise above the level of "good mediocrity" nowadays anyway. (Pixar is the obvious exception to this.) Not so two generations ago. Two generations ago, five-star family films were the norm. But we in America have forsaken the family film, just as we have forsaken the family. I guess that is to be expected (forsaking the family film, I mean). I don't think the family film will make a comeback until the family makes one first.

That said, Nim's Island is a very enjoyable family film that is almost like taking a cheap vacation. It's fun, funny and exotic. It has three strong stars that carry it, in spite of a weak script and weak direction. You really can't do much better than Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) for a child actress, Jodie Foster (Maverick) for a female comedian, or Gerard Butler (300, PS: I Love You, Tomb Raider: Cradle Of Life) for a romantic hero. The story is quirky and unrealistic, but it is enjoyable and does have a message: "Be the hero of your own story."

Nim's Island can be forgiven its lack of realism because it is being told from the viewpoint of eleven-year-old Nim (Abigail Breslin), who has an active imagination that is fueled by reading adventure stories written by Alexandra Rover (Jodie Foster) and featuring Alex Rover (Gerard Butler) as the hero. Butler also plays Nim's father, Jack Ruscoe, who is a marine biologist living alone on a South Pacific island with his daughter. Jack goes off for two days on his boat to search for a new specimen of marine life, but does not return when he said he would because he is caught in a storm, which all but destroys his boat. Meanwhile, Alexandra, who is doing research for her latest novel, contacts Jack via e-mail to ask about his island, which has an active volcano on it. Thinking that Alexandra is the heroic Alex from her books, Nim asks Alex to come help her find her dad, whom she believes is lost at sea, and to help save her island, which is being invaded by tourists from a questionable cruise ship called the Buccaneer. Unlike Alex, Alexandra is deathly afraid of everything, and thinks of every excuse why she can't come. But the imaginary Alex, who is as real to Alexandra as he is to Nim, talks her into it. So off they go to help Nim, with Alexandra kicking and screaming.

The story is strangely reminiscent of Romancing The Stone, but toned down for kids. It also has a host of animal actors, including a seal, a frigate pelican and a bearded dragon lizard, all of which are Nim's pets and friends. The film is based on an illustrated children's book by Wendy Orr. I can see why the producers wanted to make this book into a film. I just can't see why they chose a pair of weak directors (Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin) instead of one strong one. Directing is not a job that can be shared. Nor can I see why they chose a team of weak writers (in addition to Flackett and Levin, Joseph Kwong and Paula Mazur) instead of one or two strong ones. Too many cooks spoil the soup, especially when the characters and plot have already been worked out in the book. So, much is lost that could have been saved with greater wisdom on the part of the producers. But the actors are enjoyable and the locations gorgeous, and it does make a nice escapist film for the family. The DVD may be worth buying because it comes with a book of exotic creatures; but the special features are rather slim unless you're an Abigail Breslin fan.

Waitsel Smith August 23, 2008

NOT just "a kid's movie"

We watched Nim's Island last night, and I discovered a real keeper. I am definitely buying this one. Jodie Foster was simply hilarious! And the story is so unique. I love the mix of the possible with the improbable; it is a real hope booster, and at the least, an excellent analogy of what can transpire, what a difference one life can make, if it will go over the back of itself.

Also, I encouraged my young adult son as we watched it together, "See, everybody's life doesn't have to be the 'same'. Our family has made some rather unique choices in how we live - not simply living where we're "from," for one, and encouraging him to pursue what he's good at, not at just what will make him money or make him "fit in" - and even though there are real challenges living life "from the heart," there is also real joy. This aspect of the story is realized right off, and never spoiled. August 23, 2008

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