Based on the popular children's novel of the same name by Wendy Orr, NIM'S ISLAND follows the adventures of Nim Rusoe (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE's Abigail Breslin), a spirited young girl who lives on a remote island with her scientist dad, Jack (300's Gerard Butler), and a host of animal companions, including an iguana, a sea lion, and a sea turtle. Nim's idyllic life gets shaken up, however, when her father goes missing while on an ocean outing. Seeking help to find Jack, Nim contacts her favorite literary hero, explorer Alex Rover (also played by Butler), who, in reality, is uptight--and distinctly unadventurous--author Alexa Rover (Jodie Foster). Against her better judgment, Alexa journeys to Nim's faraway home, setting a series of thrilling and funny moments in motion.
Directed and written (in part) by the husband/wife team of Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett, NIM'S ISLAND revels in its fanciful premise, never getting hung up on its unrealistic plot points. (E-mail on an extremely secluded island?) While Breslin and Butler are charming, the real revelation is witnessing the oft-serious Foster ham it up in a role requires plenty of slapstick, fish-out-of-water moments. Although teens might roll their eyes at NIM'S unapologetically sugary scenes, younger children will enjoy the giddy mood present of the ISLAND.
DVD Features:
Keep Case - Checkpoint; Sensormatic
Widescreen - 2.40
Audio:
Dolby Surround 5.1 - English
Stereo - French, Spanish
Subtitles - English, Spanish - Optional
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Adventure Commentary with Jodie Foster and Abigail Breslin
2. Commentary with Directors Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett
Deleted Scenes (3)
Featurettes - 1. "Nim's Friends"
2. "Abigail's Journey"
3. "Working on Water"
Trailers - 1. Forced Trailers: ICE AGE 3, HORTON HEARS A WHO, ANGEL WARS: GUARDIAN FORCE, GARFIELD FUN FEST
2. DR. DOLITTLE 5, ELEPHANT TALES, PICTURE THIS
Distributor Notes: Nim Rusoe (Breslin) lives on a deserted island with her scientist father Jack (Butler) and her best friends: Selkie, a sea lion; Fred, a bearded dragon lizard and Galileo, a plucky pelican. But when Jack goes missing at sea and the island is "invaded," Nim reaches out via e-mail to the adventurous author of her favorite books (Foster), and together, each discovers what it takes to truly become the hero of your own life story.
Source: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Source Writer
Wendy Orr: Author
Director of Photography
Stuart Dryburgh:
Review 1:
"As played by Abigail Breslin with her trademark youthful intelligence, Nim is endearing, enthusiastic, resourceful and imaginative."
Source: USA Today
04/04/2008
Review 2:
"It's a fun story, particularly in its playful, creative sense of the relationship between fiction and reality."
Source: Los Angeles Times
04/04/2008
Review 3:
"It's hard to imagine kids not enjoying the goodhearted, lovingly shot fantasy of it all, and Breslin is charming..." -- Grade: B
Source: Entertainment Weekly
p.49 04/18/2008
Review 4:
3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]his three-pronged adventure story, set largely on a remote island in the South Pacific, is pacy, pretty and generally good fun."
Source: Empire
p.56 06/01/2008
Review 5:
3 stars out of 5 -- "Imaginative sequences like animation and animal antics pepper the already complex story with visions of fantasy, making NIM'S ISLAND a thorough entertainment experience."
Source: Ultimate DVD
p.64 05/01/2008