Movie Review - Nim's Island

Based on the children's book of the same title by Wendy Orr, Nim's Island is a lively (and often silly) romp sure to delight young girls that isn't too unbearable for adults. The girls have the young heroine Nim (played by Abigail Breslin) who frolics with her numerous animal friends in a tropical island paradise with her scientist father (Gerard Butler); for the adults, we have Jody Foster in a rare comic role as neurotic adventure-author Alexandra Rover and Rover's fictional larger-than-life hero Alex Rover (also played by Butler). The perils are not terribly perilous and often hilarious. The special effects are not too overblown and are occasionally charming. The soundtrack (by Patrick Doyle) is really quite nice and we get a U2 tune over the closing credits. Southern Man's advice is to not take it too seriously (the movie doesn't take itself that seriously, either, which helps) and let the kids enjoy it.