Nim's Island

Just came back from watching Nim's Island. It's entertaining all right, but to be really frank, this could have been better if it's fully animated instead of being done ala live action movie. Has it been done otherwise, I'm sure the magic and charm will work its way into the hearts of the viewers and leave a longer, lasting impressions than... what it currently does now.

But...

But but but... I really enjoyed the animals' cute, adorable AND funny behaviours! I especially love Fred (the lizard or was it iguana? Okok, I think it's a lizard; It's cheeky, kay-poh demeanor really adds a twist of fun in whatever situation it is in..) and the turtle (I'm a BIG fan of turtles, don't ask me why.) I also luv the scene where Fred climbed onto the turtle's head (at the opening of the movie) which irritates the turtle so much *snickers*

Oh, you'll hear Nim's (Abigail Breslin) voice narrating about how those two enjoyed irritating one another. Haha

Ok. Back on track. I concentrated too much on the animals. I mean, it's not everyday you see a sea lion that knows how to play football, a lizard that enjoys being catapulted into the enemy's zone, trying to act like a flying dragon, and a pelican by the name of Galileo, that happens to know just about everything a person needs in every situation. Yep. Sounds too good to be true eh?

The real story of Nim's Island is this : It's a secluded world, secretly owned (or at least they swear that they owned it) by only Nim and her father, Jack Rusoe (Gerard Butler) - a famous scientist or a marine microbiologist to be exact, who's so crazy about the one celled microorganism (I forgot what it's called) that his life revolves around it. It appears that he loses interest in whatever thing that has more than one cell (except his deceased wife and Nim). He's also a writer who occassionally writes in National Geographic about his fantastic little volcano in that tiny little island of his.

They built this amazing hut-like home, complete with electricity (solar powered) and internet connection (satellite linked). Nim grows up there learning everything about the nature through her own observations and interactions with the animals, and anything else (science, history and fictions) through endless supplies of books and internet and from her father. Her close friends includes Fred (the lizard), Galileo (the pelican) and ummm.. what's-its-name? (the sea lion).

And oh, they got their supplies of food and whatnots from a monthly supply ship, which I suppose is the ONLY ship that knows the exact location of the island.

Nim adores and worships Alex Rover, a hero who's very Indiana Jones-alike, born from Alexandra Rover's (Jodie Foster) wild figment of imagination. Alexandra Rover is one helpless agoraphobic writer who excels in writing. Does that make sense? Oh. In case you don't know, agoraphobic means she's agoraphobia : an abnormal fear of being in crowds, public places, or open areas, sometimes accompanied by anxiety attacks. She can't even get herself to open her apartment's door into the outside world. My goodness. Perhaps her confinement in her apartment gives birth to such vivid, wild and wonderful-totally out of this world imagination? Perhaps that's why she can write so well, express herself so well. She's so successful that she has her novels being translated into 62 (did I get it right?) different languages, sold worldwide. So successful, and yet so weird?

I can't help but shaking my head in disbelief among the fits of laughter while watching Jodie Foster's frantic, murderously dangerous comedy acts. Never has it crossed my mind that she can do comedy. And believe me, it doesn't sit well in my mind. I'm so used to her doing the full action-packed movies that watching her doing comedy is like watching Jim Carrey fully transforming himself into a Terminator. It's just way too opposite.

Oh well. To cut a long story short, Alex Rover found out that she has indeed been exchanging emails with a 11-year old Nim, whom she's mistaken to be Jack Rusoe's assistant, who's left all alone in the island when her father went out in search of his one celled microorganism and was stranded somewhere with a badly damaged boat and constantly being helped out by Galileo, the pelican. Alex somehow embarked on a journey to go and save Nim, only to be turned away when Nim found out that she's a woman instead of a he. By the way, Nim's the one who saved Alex when she's about to drown.

Jack somehow managed to go back to Nim safely. He met Alex, it's love at first sight, and the rest is left to your imagination. How does that sound to you?

My verdict? It's an okay movie. At least, it's better than Jumper. At least, I'm enthralled by the animals antics and Abigail Breslin's wonderful performance. I can't believe she's born in 1996. She's so petite and well, I really believed she's a 11-year old. Gerard Butler did a somewhat okay job as Jack Rusoe and also Alex Rover. I must be so blur because I didn't know both roles were done by him until I checked and double checked just now. Jodie Foster? I like her better in anything other than comedy. Her comedy acts are laughable, but it's just so unlike her. THAT just won't sit still in my mind no matter how much I adore her.

My ratings? I give it a 7 out of 10. If you are an adult with a childlike imagination, you'll somehow enjoy this movie. Old folks too will enjoy it, I believe. If you're a kid, you'll definitely enjoy it. If you're a pure adult, then this movie will probably sucks big time so you better not be heading to the cinema to buy the tickets for this movie.

Pssttt. Don't blame me if you don't like the movie. I'm just being frank, ok?