My NI review

I saw Nim's Island for the first time with my eleven year old daughter and her friend today and I am so terribly disappointed in this film on many levels. I haven't read any of the threads or many reviews of the film up till now because I wanted to go in without the thoughts of others clouding my expectations. And I had great expectations. I have seen two trailers and the first one made me cheer for this film and very anxious to see it with my whole family. It promised so much for everyone. Action/adventure, beautiful locations, great actors, great music, humor and an exhillarating fun jaunt to a faraway tropical paradise.
It delivered none of that. The trailer was great entertainment! The film was dead in the water. It was the trailer on morphine with two broken legs.

The pace was excruciatingly slow. Except for Nim, the characters were much too minimally present, even the animals. Scratch that. Especially the animals.

Action/adventure? Pfffft. We get a measly crumb of Alex Rover the adventurer. Just when we get our appetite whet for a juicy bit of high energy escapism a la Indiana Jones, the scene switches away leaving us salivating for more, but left hungry till the end. What a pity. That character had such promise. He was the most interesting part of the story.

I love Jodie Foster. She is my favorite actress. But in this film, I do feel she was miscast. I did not find her believable as the agoraphobic fraidy cat. Her strength and character kept peeking out at me. She did her best though, as she always does.
Abigail Breslin was just ok as Nim. And there was entirely too much of her in this film. Maybe I feel that way because the character required a more high spirited actress to pull it off well.
Gerry was ok as the dad, and good as Alex Rover. Too bad the script failed both characters and didn't capitalize on what this actor has to offer. I do think Gerry should have lost weight for this character. He did look a bit like a padded and chipmunk cheeked adventurer who has seen better days.

Even the location, which was idyllic, was underused. The scene where Nim is being pulled through the water by the sea lion was boring. I expected some really wild fun underwater play scenes somewhere in the film, but again, just a crumb was thrown. Even the sharks circling the boat were boring.

Music? What music? I hardly remember there even being music, that's how little it lent to the film. The trailer used Bang on the Drum All Day, and I expected the film to follow suit with similar upbeat and fun music. The lack of it buried this film.

Animals? Where were they? I hardly call a bunch of lizards being catapulted through the sky a high moment in animal antics. All I kept thinking is that they might get hurt.

Danger? Oh, no! Fat tourists in swimsuits! 'Nough said.

I am terribly disappointed in this film. Not just for myself, but for Wendy Orr and for what good fun it could have been in more capable hands. I don't know what other films the filmakers have to their credit, but if this is their best effort, they should find another line of work, IMHO.

That makes two really disappointing films from Walden Media. Bridge to Terabithia left me feeling similarly cheated. I admire their vision. I just think they need to execute it better.


Gerry Butler - God's joke on women. He only made one.