The movie gets plain silly, but at least it's lively, and young girls will enjoy Nim's lifestyle in her eco-friendly and frolic-packed tropical paradise.
Nim's Island (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:95
Fresh:47
Rotten:48
Average Rating:5.7/10
Consensus: Despite good intentions, Nim's Island flounders under an implausible storyline, simplistic stock characters, and distracting product placement.
Rated: U [See Full Rating] for mild adventure action and brief language.
Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:02-05-2008
Synopsis: Based on the popular children's novel of the same name by Wendy Orr, NIM'S ISLAND follows the adventures of Nim Rusoe (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE's Abigail Breslin), a spirited young girl who lives on a... Based on the popular children's novel of the same name by Wendy Orr, NIM'S ISLAND follows the adventures of Nim Rusoe (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE's Abigail Breslin), a spirited young girl who lives on a remote island with her scientist dad, Jack (300's Gerard Butler), and a host of animal companions, including an iguana, a sea lion, and a sea turtle. Nim's idyllic life gets shaken up, however, when her father goes missing while on an ocean outing. Seeking help to find Jack, Nim contacts her favorite literary hero, explorer Alex Rover (also played by Butler), who, in reality, is uptight--and distinctly unadventurous--author Alexa Rover (Jodie Foster). Against her better judgment, Alexa journeys to Nim's faraway home, setting a series of thrilling and funny moments in motion. Directed and written (in part) by the husband/wife team of Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett, NIM'S ISLAND revels in its fanciful premise, never getting hung up on its unrealistic plot points. (E-mail on an extremely secluded island?) While Breslin and Butler are charming, the real revelation is witnessing the oft-serious Foster ham it up in a role requires plenty of slapstick, fish-out-of-water moments. Although teens might roll their eyes at NIM'S unapologetically sugary scenes, younger children will enjoy the giddy mood present of the ISLAND. [More]
Starring: Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler, Abigail Breslin
Starring: Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler, Abigail Breslin
Director: Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin
Director: Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin
Screenwriter: Paula Mazur, Joseph Kwong, Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin
Producer: Paula Mazur
Composer: Patrick Doyle
Studio: Fox-Walden
Reviews for Nim's Island
There's nothing very suspenseful going on ... but the cast and the story will appeal to both kids and adults.
Nim's Island is an old-fashioned kids' movie. Parents might find flaws, but the 12-and-younger set will find characters and a movie worth rooting for.
Nim's Island is a movie for kids who like to think and read and use their imagination, and for parents who may be tired of family fare that's nothing but a litany of cutesy pop-culture references.
... the cast and the cute critters make up for the weaker elements and bring home a nice movie for the 5-11 age group.
Nim's Island bogs down a bit in the midsection with a subplot that seems to be more about the "do" than the derring-do, but the oft-cited phrase about becoming the hero of one's own story is a mantra that bears repetition.
Directors Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin deliver some eye-catching fantasy sequences in the early scenes, but the film grows more mundane and the tone more uneven as it goes on.
The filmmakers both pillory the tourism industry and lambaste families just out for a good time -- the same audience, I would think, for their movie.
The film's an oddity -- an engaging, slightly overcooked fantasy about a castaway-island girl and the agoraphobic San Francisco novelist who comes to her rescue.
This scenic adventure/comedy delivers exactly what it promises—from broad slapstick to exciting action that stops short of becoming too intense for its intended audience.
A headache-inducing film that grows more obnoxious as it plays, but the most piercing element of the movie is Foster.
Nim's Island starts out with a dead mother, so it's already got the makings of a family film classic.
Can filmmakers no longer create true-to-life inspirational stories about people in extraordinary circumstances?
Foster proves adept at broad physical comedy, the animated sequences charm, and codirectors Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett send up the make-believe Rover with panache.
There's a lot to like about spunky Breslin, even when she's unnecessarily recapping events or recapitulating Home Alone as she chases caricatured cruise-ship tourists from her island. She's a charismatic, energetic presence at the heart of the film
Audiences may find early scenes of father-daughter family life more engaging than the adventures that ensue, but this is a fairly successful attempt at a preteen-friendly entertainment.
Nim's Island wants desperately to be Swiss Family Robinson, but it's more like Swiss Miss.
Based on Wendy Orr's youthful feminized spin on Robinson Crusoe, "Nim's Island" is a low-key adventure comedy for preteens that will touch the hearts of their gooey-eyed parents.
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