Nim's Island Review

Anything can happen on "Nim's Island". At least so says this children's fantasy. And almost everything does within its lean running time. Adapted from Wendy Orr's bestselling novel, this fantastical, and borderline surreal, slice of 'castaway' myth sees the titular Nim having to protect her home from unwanted tourists whilst her Marine Biologist dad goes off hunting for protozoa (as one does in such line of work no?).

Nim (Abigail Breslin) is an impish dreamer. When she's not playing with her animal friends she's got her head in the latest Alex Rover novel - tales of derring-do and foolhardy adventure from an atypical cowboy (although one with a heavy Scottish drawl courtesy of Gerard Butler). As you might have guessed Nim is no ordinary little girl. She lives alone with her scientist father Jack (also Butler) on a tropical island. When her father fails to return home from one of his marine expeditions, Nim fears that the sea may have claimed Jack as it did her mother when she was younger. Alone and scared, Nim, via what can only be described as the best internet connection in the world, responds to an email sent to her dad by none other than Alex Rover himself. Nim calls out to the adventurer for help after realising that her home may be besieged by rowdy Australian tourists. Unfortunately for her, Alex Rover turns out to be Alexandra Rover, real life author of Nim's favourite character (played by Jodie Foster). Rover, jostled in to action by her fictional creation, describes herself as borderline agoraphobic so the chances of rescue in this case are pretty slim for poor Nim. Soon enough however Alex Rover is braving unknown lands and choppy seas in a desperate bid to save Nim and reunite her with her shipwrecked dad. It soon becomes apparent that Nim is not the only one who needs saving.

Nim's playful world is delivered with such earnestness and charm that you soon just accept some of the Cereal Box shenanigans and surreal moments. Breslin anchors the whole thing perfectly and is ably supported by the comic turn of Butler and, surprisingly, Jodie Foster letting loose with a few pratfalls of her own. Foster is excellent as the neurotic Rover and shows that she hasn't left the fun of her earliest roles behind. Oddly for this kind of fare the effects work is simply not up to the task considering the progress made in such family friendly titles as "The Spiderwick Chronicles". But it's a minor quibble. Husband and wife writing/directing team Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett have certainly invested a lot of love in to the film. A little of which rubs off on the audience.