L'île de Nim

(Synopsis) Nim's Island is a beautiful uncharted island located in the south Pacific, occupied only by a young girl named Nim (Abigail Breslin) and her father Jack Rusoe (Gerard Butler), a research scientist studying microscopic marine organisms. Nim is an avid reader who loves to read Alex Rover adventure stories. On the island, Nim lives her life as if it were a wonderful adventure story surrounded by her animal friends, Fred the lizard, Galileo the pelican, and Selki the 300 pound seal. Jack is about to take Nim on a two day research trip looking for protozoa, but Nim begs to be left behind so she can help the hatching baby sea turtles. Jack reluctantly leaves Nim behind and sails out to sea. While he is away, Alexandra Rover (Jodie Foster) the author of the Rover books emails Jack to get his knowledge about volcanoes for her next book. Nim replies thinking he is the great adventurer Alex Rover. Everything goes well until a huge storm hits the island and Jack becomes lost at sea. Alone and scared, Nim emails Alex Rover asking him to come to her island and find her dad. The only problem is that Alex Rover is a woman, and she is agoraphobic and can't leave the house. Alexandra knows that this is a life or death situation and Nim needs help. Alexandra leaves the confines of her home and travels to the island to help Nim.

(My Comment) This is a family friendly movie with two story lines, Nim's story and Alexandra's story. Abigail Breslin was a delight in the title role as Nim. Kids will love Nim's animal friends, especially, the lizard named Fred. I believe kids will think lizards can really do the things this lizard does, and they will beg their parents to get them one. However, I liked the real animal hero, the pelican Galileo, who helped Jack at sea. Gerard Butler played two parts as Alex and Jack and performed them very well. Some of his scenes were so funny, that he cracked me up. Jodi Foster as a neurotic writer played her part well, but I think she was miscast. The movie had humor, adventure, an island volcano, flying lizards, and other adorable animals. The movie was made for the younger audience, and the kids will love it, and adults will enjoy it. (Walden Media, Run Time 1:35, Rated PG)(6/10)

Nim's Island is a tale about a young girl named Nim (imagine that) who lives with her single father on a remote island in the middle of the South Pacific. Because she has no friends or neighbors, she spends her time playing with animals and indulging in the fantastic fantasies of her Alex Rover adventure novels. The stories of the Alex Rover novels are assumedly based on the adventures of the author, Alexandra Rover. The reality is that Alexandra is an introvert hermit who spends her days writing her stories in her San Francisco apartment and talking aloud to the imaginary Alex Rover character. Alexandra and Nim come into contact through email and Nim reveals that her father, who is a scientist, is lost at sea. After much debating, Alexandra gets up enough courage to finally leave her apartment and travel to visit Nim. Once on the island, the girls quickly develop a special bond. With the help of the imaginary story hero Alex Rover, they step into a world of fun and adventure where the line separating fantasy and real life vanishes and dreams become realities (I know that last line was really corny, but whatever).

The predominant aspect that enticed me to see the film was the awesome cast. You have academy award winner Jodie Foster as Alexandra Rover, Abegail Breslin—who you may remember from Little Miss Sunshine—playing Nim, and the star of 300, Gerard Butler playing dual roles as the father and as the imaginary Alex Rover. And yes, ladies, he does have his shirt off in this film.

Despite the big names, the cast seemed to lack the necessary chemistry. I thought Butler did an awesome job with both of his roles, but his relationship with his daughter is far from believable. And Jodie Foster, who happens to be one of my favorite actresses, just seems really out of place in this film. Kind of like Subway's Jared eating at Quiznos. Breslin was fine as Nim, but she spends half the movie talking to lizards and a giant seal. That might seem cute to some viewers, but in my opinion she probably needs a psychiatrist, or possibly an exorcist. I would also like to add that someone needs to teach that girl proper running form. Many scenes feature Nim running through the woods or down the beach and every time I watched her run I just started to laugh. With her arms flailing about she looked like Pinocchio running around high on amphetamines or something.

I did really enjoy all the fantasy elements of the film, but I think a movie that mixes fantasy with reality works best when the fantasy aspects provide a sharp contrast to reality. In Nim's Island, the normal lives they live are unrealistic which causes the fantasy elements to lose their effect. I mean, who in the right mind moves to a remote island with a ten year old? And how in the world did they get wireless internet service? I can't even get service in my own basement, and they have perfect connection on an island in the middle of no where.

Maybe my expectations are too high. Maybe I am too old to appreciate a children's film. Nim's Island is, after all, a kid's movie in the purest sense. There are plenty of corny jokes, cute animals, and moments that will probably touch your soul, unless of course you are Satan. I had high hopes for this film because I honestly enjoy quite a few kids' movies. Who here doesn't like Hook? Or The Sandlot? Or Angels in the Outfield? Nim's Island, unfortunately, did not measure up. Sure I laughed a few times and smiled innocently at some of the scenes, but about half way through the movie I…well…to be perfectly honest, I fell sound asleep. I think I dreamt about unicorns, but I don't really remember.

After watching NIM'S ISLAND, it occurred to me that Wendy Orr's children's novel would have worked much better as a Walt Disney animated feature than as a live action film with CGI effects. Animation would have provided the missing ingredient here--namely, good old-fashioned charm...and magic. The design work for the main titles led me to believe this would be an enchanting film. It wasn't.

However, with a lack of good films for children to see, I wouldn't discourage younger patrons from seeing the film. It's entertaining enough for impressionable minds to appreciate--if they can understand that the Alex Roper character is really a figment of Abigail's and Jody's imagination.

ABIGAIL BRESLIN is fine as the lonely island girl who has to fantasize about her pulp action hero and GERARD BUTLER is perfectly cast as her father (Jack) who goes missing for most of the story but is reunited with her--predictably--at the end after a savage storm. But I can't say I enjoyed watching JODIE FOSTER play a clumsy agoraphobic authoress in a series of scenes that had me wondering who else might have been better in that role. I came up with a younger Angela Lansbury, who knew how to do this sort of physical clumsiness with such skill and still remain charming. With Foster, the charm is gone and all you you get is a mannered amount of nerdy nervousness.

Lest anyone adult should fall asleep during the proceedings, not to worry. Patrick Doyle's bombastic background score, incredibly busy even during the frenzied height of the storm scenes, is enough to make anyone pop open their eyes to see what's happening.

What should have been wistful, magical, even a bit romantic, comes across as kind of brass, corny and utterly predictable nonsense with lots of credibility issues. Foster's character is among the most unbelievable characters ever created, even for a children's story.

Summing up: Has its moments and it's not all bad, but too bad Butler couldn't have had more footage. His scenes as the imaginary adventurer provide the best and most humorous moments in the whole film.

It was a cute movie. But, there were some parts that were 'too cute' to enjoy. Some of the animals used...though they were real, looked fake, cheesy, and unrealistic..like the bird.The seal was probably the most realistic acting animal and did a nice job. The lizards used in the film looked real but the the 'voices' they were given were way too cheesy and was the one thing that made them seem fake...although they got a giggle from the kids in the audience. Foster did a great job of portraying a character with agoraphobia, she hit it right on. The rest of the actors did quite well also, Breslin has proved herself to be a known name in the future. I definitely recommend this for the kids.

Silly? Yes. Predictable? Yes. For Kids? Yes. Entertaining? Yes.....even for adults, IF you don't take anything seriously and expect something a little dumb but charming.nonetheless. Picture yourself as a kid watching a movie and you'll enjoy it a lot more, because it's definitely a children's film. It also has an involving story. Once it starts you have to stick around and see how it winds up. With some movies, I could care less but this one, I cared.

For those who have kids age 5-12, this is highly recommended. For adults, well, it's not bad. If you're looking for "clean" entertainment, you found it. It's not goody-goody, either, and it's not always a smart family movie (a father leaving his kid all alone for several days?) but it's a nice movie, has funny animal characters, a lead kid who is not a brat, nice island scenery, one big-name actress (Jodie Foster) and is a diversion for an hour-and-a-half.

The little dragon "Fred" is the best of the non-humans. I don't know if that's the real noise that lizard makes, but it's fun to hear. Seals are always entertaining, too. The one in this film is very talented.

As for the humans, Abigail Breslin as "Nim Rusoe" is a cute, likable kid. Gerard Butler plays both male leads and does them well enough that you forget he's doing two characters. Seeing Foster do slapstick while being a female "Mr. Monk" was a little odd but, I'm not going to knock her for trying.

As another reviewer said here, put yourself in a little kid's shoes and enjoy the film.