Search - Nim's Island [Blu-ray] on Blu-ray

The Isle of Uncharted Courage

Chris Pandolfi | Los Angeles, CA | 04/06/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Nim's Island" is the kind of film you'd expect to open with "Once upon a time" and end with "Happily ever after," but since it's about the magic of imagination and courage instead of actual magic (if there is any such thing), there's really no need. It does, however, begin and end with Abigail Breslin's voiceover narration, and she establishes a story so lofty that it's difficult to think of it as anything other than a fairy tale. While the plot of "Nim's Island" is completely unrealistic, and while the characters are anything but relatable, it tells such an innocent and good-hearted tale that you don't really think about those things. Its heart is in the right place pretty much all throughout, even when it lapses into sappy moments; that's saying a lot, since the entire film is based on a premise sappy enough for three family films.



The story: Nim Rusoe (Breslin) and her marine biologist father, Jack (Gerard Butler), live alone on a secluded island somewhere in the South Pacific. They came to live there after a whale (supposedly) swallowed Nim's mother after being spooked by a cruise ship called The Buccaneer; Jack and Nim found the island while searching the world's oceans for the whale and decided to stay. Since then, Jack has been obsessively looking for a new form of sea-dwelling amoeba, and Nim has been reading. Apparently, both would prefer that no one else inhabit the island, so whenever the supply ship stops by, they don't allow it to dock--they sail to it while it's still offshore. How such exchanges could ever be managed, I have no idea, but as I said before, this is not a realistic film. If you stop to question this, then you might as well stop to question how Jack could have a working computer with a reliable Internet service provider. Or why Nim and the island animals can communicate with one another. Or how they can keep the island a secret when we have satellite imagery that can locate anything anywhere on earth.



One of Nim's favorite reads is a book series featuring Alex Rover, a rugged Indiana Jones-type who travels the world and goes on daring adventures. There's a moment when Nim imagines one of the scenes from the latest book, and lo and behold, Rover looks just like her father (meaning he's also played by Gerard Butler). What Nim doesn't know is that Alex Rover is also the name of the author that created the character. What she also doesn't know is that the author is a woman; Alexandra Rover (Jodie Foster) lives in San Francisco, and despite being a very successful writer, she's agoraphobic, germaphobic, and obsessive-compulsive. Much like Nim, she can imagine Rover (the character) as a real person. But she takes it a step further--she has full conversations with Rover, relying on him for courage and support. It's easy to see why she writes these novels: she's too afraid to have a real life adventure.



For the past three months, Alexandra has been struggling to finish her newest book; she doesn't have all the information she needs about volcanoes. She e-mails Jack for information, knowing that he lives on an island with a volcano. Since Jack is away at sea, Nim responds, pretty much at the same time a monsoon hits the island. Believing that she's corresponding with the adventurous, male version of Alex Rover, Nim begs Alexandra for help, not only for the sake of her father--who is now lost at sea--but also because the crew of the Buccaneer cruise ship has discovered the island and plans to turn it into a tourist attraction. This means, of course, that Alexandra has to face her fears of the outside world, and we all know how difficult it can be to face a fear.



If this sounds to you like nothing more than an implausible kid's story, then you're not getting into the spirit of it. Consider the moment when Breslin fires an army of lizards onto a beach-load of tourists, or when Foster packs a suitcase full of soup cans and hand sanitizers, or when Butler receives a tool belt from a pelican; these moments are supposed to be fun, meaning they're not meant to be taken too seriously. On the same token, "Nim's Island" sends messages that are both positive and meaningful, and this is good because most of the better family films have done the exact same thing.



One of the most surprising things about this film is Jodie Foster, whose quirky fish-out-of-water role called for a strong comedic personality. Her career has been defined almost entirely by dramatic roles. Even as a child star, films like "Taxi Driver" and "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" never let a sense of humor emerge. It was refreshing to see her play a light-hearted character in an equally light-hearted movie. If only she and Breslin had been given more screen time together--their characters officially meet at the very end, which isn't really satisfying as far as plot is concerned. Then again, the film's message is overcoming obstacles on your own, so it's quite possible that they were supposed to be separated all throughout. Whatever the case, "Nim's Island" is a charming little fable, despite the fact that it's completely preposterous. But as I said earlier, a fairy tale doesn't always begin with "Once upon a time" and end with "Happily ever after." Sometimes, fairy tales are defined by nothing more than the good intentions of carefree filmmakers."

Yes...But...

Kelly Klepfer | Iowa | 07/19/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"


I'm sitting on the fence. I liked Nim's Island because it feels a little bit like Holes. Hovering around the real and blending with fantasy and quirky visuals, this story is an exercise in imagination and is entertaining most of the time. I liked the casting overall. Jodie Foster played the angst-ridden adventure novelist with the whole gamut of human emotion.Gerard Butler got to exercise his acting muscles as well.



I appreciated the ingenuity and attitude that Abigal Breslin as Nim Russo displays. A breath of fresh air when so many of our kids are bored even with all the technology and toys that money can buy. The value of family and the importance of others in life is an underlying theme that strengthens the movie.



The negatives...well, there was really only one. I really struggled with not getting sucked into the story. I spent more time "yeah-right"ing than buying what was going on. The frantic pace of parts of the movie, the outlandish happenings and the blending with the real made it almost feel like a tall-tale that doesn't quite get beyond a middling-tale.



Parents of four to ten year-olds (depending on maturity level) will likely find Nim's Adventure to be a treat for the whole family. If my kids were younger, I'd probably purchase Nim's Island."