mix of the juvenile and mature
some parts, like the story of the oceanographer, are based on juvenile misconceptions: like a blue whale swallowing a person. a blue whale's throat might handle a loaf of bread. but other parts, like nim rescuing alexandra from the storm are as thrilling, suspenseful, and heroic as almost any as i have seen. nim's despair on realizing her dad might be dead, and his triumphant, though improbable, return nearly evoke tears and cheering.
"Does it make a movie "good" because you "like" it? No, it doesn't..." - Roger Ebert