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NIM'S ISLAND
Nim's Island
 A young girl lives with her father on a remote island. The day he goes missing on a research trip is the day tourists invade their sanctuary. Nim calls on her hero, Alex Rover, for help. score

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Cast
Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler

 Director
Jennifer Flackett
Mark Levin

 Screenwriter
Joseph Kwong
Paula Mazur

 Country
USA

Rating / Running Time
PG / 91 minutes

Australian Release
April 2008

Official Site
(c) moviereview 2006-2008
ABN 72 775 390 361
 On a remote island deep in the South Pacific, a young girl lives alone with her scientist father. With solar panels to run their tree-hut of a home and local animals (fur seal, pelican, lizard) for company, Nim has the idyllic childhood. Swiss Family Robinson meets The Wonderful World of Disney. It’s a life utterly divorced from reality mind you, but that’s not the point: Nim’s Island is inspiring escapism for youngsters uncertain of what reality really is.

When Nim (Breslin) seeks her own escape, she turns to the daring novels of Alex Rover, a literary Indiana Jones penned by the borderline agoraphobic San Fransican, Alexandra Rover (Foster). When Dad (Butler) goes missing on a research trip, Nim turns to Alex (Butler) for help. Alexandra, spurned by her alter ego, responds.

There are no surprises for anyone familiar with PG-rated Disney adventures. Human and anthropomorphised animal casts are suitably daring, cute and funny; the setting is as realistic as any 60’s animal TV show; dialogue and delivery likewise. So far, so Skippy.

While there are many reasons to have a bad time with Nim (a plot-thread about her dead mother goes nowhere, Rover’s new-found courage is of the jump-and-shriek variety, sets and lighting are unconvincing, a sub-plot concerning Australian holiday-makers is caricatured and boorish), there’s an essential, old-fashioned gentleness that is quietly appealing. There’s also the added bonus of seeing Foster in a rare comedy turn. Nim won’t change your world or that of sub-teen youngsters in your care, but if any or all are in need of low-key, morally certain and violent free entertainment (unless you count lobbing lizards at tourists), set sail for Nim’s Island.

// COLIN FRASER