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TopTenREVIEWS presents the movie reviews of Nim's Island (2008)

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Nim's Island (2008)

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Ratings and rankings are based on number of movie, review scores, awards & other criteria.
Nim's Island (2008) is ranked overall as out of 4 stars Nim's Island (2008) is ranked overall as out of 4 stars
Overall Rating:2.3896
Avg Critic Score:2.4559

Nim's Island (2008) Movie Reviews

Expert Review Summary
based on (113) reviews from 107 sources
4
2.65%
(3)
3
30.09%
(34)
2
51.33%
(58)
1
15.93%
(18)
0
0.00%
(0)

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Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for San Francisco Chronicle (Ruthe Stein) San Francisco Chronicle (Ruthe Stein)
Nim's aquatic adventures and those on land provide the majority of thrills in this exhilarating and enchanting family picture. It's the best I've seen this year and highly recommended for girls and for boys, too. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Ruthe Stein)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for San Francisco Chronicle (Ruthe Stein) San Francisco Chronicle (Ruthe Stein)
"Nim's Island" is a combination of "Robinson Crusoe" and "Home Alone," if you can envision the stranded party as a preteen girl who has the survival skills of someone twice her age. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Ruthe Stein)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for Parent Previews Parent Previews
There's not enough hand sanitizer in the whole world to make Alex Rover (Jodie Foster) happy. (That's Alex Rover the author, not Alex Rover the rough and tumble adventure hero created by Alex Rover the author. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Parent Previews
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.50 out of 4 stars for St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt) St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt)
Nim and Alexandra are both imaginative, both book lovers and, in "Nim's Island," both alone. Tweenaged Nim (Abigail Breslin) lives with her dad (Gerard Butler) on a secret island that has "Survivor 17" written all over it. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.50 out of 4 stars for The Age The Age
Winning, visually lush children's adventure film, shot largely on Queensland's Stradbroke Island and featuring an unexpectedly funny, stereotype-busting performance by Jodie ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at The Age
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.50 out of 4 stars for St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)) St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
This Island is surrounded by warmth, suspense and good humor. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.50 out of 4 stars for NewsBlaze (Prairie Miller) NewsBlaze (Prairie Miller)
Nim's Island astonishes and amazes as a fascinating movie for kids just for the fact alone that it advocates in its own whimsical way, that there's lots more to life than consuming toys, cell phones and gadgets. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at NewsBlaze (Prairie Miller)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.30 out of 4 stars for Chicago Sun-Times (Nell Minow) Chicago Sun-Times (Nell Minow)
An eye-filling and heart-warming story ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Nell Minow)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Arizona Republic (Bill Goodykoontz) Arizona Republic (Bill Goodykoontz)
That's a good thing. Nim isn't Indiana Jones, exactly, and she doesn't have to be. She's a little girl growing up in unusual circumstances who hits a rough patch and relies on her wits and skills to ride it out. Huh. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Arizona Republic (Bill Goodykoontz)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for The New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis) The New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis)
If “Nim’s Island” were anything but a children’s movie, the casting genius who suggested Jodie Foster as a potential love interest for Gerard Butler would be looking for a new occupation. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at The New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for MovieWeb (Francine Brokaw) MovieWeb (Francine Brokaw)
Jodie Foster is Alexandra Rover. She writes adventure novels under the name Alex Rover, and one of her biggest fans is 11-year-old Nim (Abigail Breslin). Nim lives on a tropical island with her father Jack (Gerard Butler). ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at MovieWeb (Francine Brokaw)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.08 out of 4 stars for Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin) Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
... neither particularly fantastic nor adventurous. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Tribune (Tasha Robinson) Chicago Tribune (Tasha Robinson)
There's a lot to like about spunky Breslin, even when she's unnecessarily recapping events or recapitulating Home Alone as she chases caricatured cruise-ship tourists from her island. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Chicago Tribune (Tasha Robinson)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Cleveland Plain Dealer (Clint O'Connor) Cleveland Plain Dealer (Clint O'Connor)
"Nim's Island" is a family-friendly film that encourages kids, especially young girls, to dream of tropical adventures where your best friends are a pelican, a lizard, and a sea lion named Selkie. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Cleveland Plain Dealer (Clint O'Connor)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald) Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
A sweet-natured family adventure film that should be quite popular with the grade-school girls at which it's aimed. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Tribune (Tasha Robinson) Chicago Tribune (Tasha Robinson)
Over the past five years, Walden Media has become a reliable purveyor of big, bright family fantasies such as “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Bridge To Terabithia,” “The Water Horse,” “Holes” and “Charlotte’s Web. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Chicago Tribune (Tasha Robinson)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Hollywood.com (Betsy Bozdech) Hollywood.com (Betsy Bozdech)
Nim (Abigail Breslin) and her dad, Jack (Gerard Butler), have been tucked away on their own private tropical island since Nim's mom died. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Hollywood.com (Betsy Bozdech)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff) San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)
Unabashedly, this is a family entertainment package made for the child in all of us. And one more thing: It's fun. Lots of smart, if silly, escapism. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Washington Times (Christian Toto) Washington Times (Christian Toto)
Jodie Foster returns to her kiddie film roots with the warm and whimsical Nim's Island ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Washington Times (Christian Toto)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Tribune (Tasha Robinson) Chicago Tribune (Tasha Robinson)
There's a lot to like about spunky Breslin, even when she's unnecessarily recapping events or recapitulating Home Alone as she chases caricatured cruise-ship tourists from her island. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Chicago Tribune (Tasha Robinson)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Betty Jo Tucker) ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Betty Jo Tucker)
How could anything go wrong with a family adventure movie starring Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler and Abigail Breslin? Nim’s Island, based on Wendy Orr’s popular young-adult novel, also boasts an inspiring theme -- discovering the hero within -- and a ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Betty Jo Tucker)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel) Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
Tweens, and particularly tween girls, will have a fine time cheering on the ever-resourceful Nim... ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for The Sydney Morning Herald The Sydney Morning Herald
Daniel Defoe really started something in 1719 with the writing of Robinson Crusoe. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at The Sydney Morning Herald
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for The Onion A.V. Club The Onion A.V. Club
A kiddie adventure film set in motion by a horrifying act of neglect, Nim's Island casts Gerard Butler and Little Miss Sunshine star Abigail Breslin as a father/daughter team who enjoy an idyllic existence on an otherwise uninhabited South Pacific island. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at The Onion A.V. Club
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox) TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox)
Some nice scenery, an unexpectedly funny performance by Jodie Foster and a unflaggingly spunky Abigail Breslin make for above average family entertainment. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for The Seattle Times (Moira Macdonald) The Seattle Times (Moira Macdonald)
A sweet-natured family ad- venture film that should be quite popular with the grade-school girls at which it's aimed, "Nim's Island" features an appearance by that rarest of creatures: Jodie Foster in comic mode. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at The Seattle Times (Moira Macdonald)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for ReelTalk (Diana Saenger) ReelTalk (Diana Saenger)
Children love adventure stories, especially ones that involve imaginary characters, frightful situations and animals. That's why Wendy Orr's novel Nim's Island made a good adaptation for the big screen. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ReelTalk (Diana Saenger)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Sacramento Bee (Carla Meyer) Sacramento Bee (Carla Meyer)
Directed by Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin, and adapted from a novel by Wendy Orr, Nim's Island offers a nice message for kids and grown-ups: Be the hero of your own story, whether confronting a volcano or 'borderline agoraphobia. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Sacramento Bee (Carla Meyer)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for National Post National Post
Children's movies always have an overt lesson and a subtextual one. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at National Post
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.90 out of 4 stars for ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey) ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
Based on Wendy Orr's youthful feminized spin on Robinson Crusoe, "Nim's Island" is a low-key adventure comedy for preteens that will touch the hearts of their gooey-eyed parents. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for ReelzChannel (Brent Simon) ReelzChannel (Brent Simon)
Adapted from Wendy Orr's same-named children's novel, Nim's Island tells the story of 11-year-old Nim (Abigail Breslin, Oscar-nominated for Little Miss Sunshine), a precocious girl who lives alone on a remote island in the South Abigail BreslinPacific ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ReelzChannel (Brent Simon)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for ReelzChannel.com (Brent Simon) ReelzChannel.com (Brent Simon)
More intimately scaled than a lot of other recent children's book adaptations, the sweet-natured and light-hearted Nim's Island nonetheless achieves a nice hold over its audience. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ReelzChannel.com (Brent Simon)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for ReviewExpress.com (Diana Saenger) ReviewExpress.com (Diana Saenger)
Plenty of things happen that adults will have to overlook and forget any reasoning because this is a movie aimed at kids, and on that point it delivers. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ReviewExpress.com (Diana Saenger)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for The Hollywood Reporter The Hollywood Reporter
Collision between reel and real worlds gets fuzzy in otherwise entertaining family adventure ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at The Hollywood Reporter
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for Associated Press (Christy Lemire) Associated Press (Christy Lemire)
Nim's Island is a movie for kids who like to think and read and use their imagination, and for parents who may be tired of family fare that's nothing but a litany of cutesy pop-culture references. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Associated Press (Christy Lemire)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for Boston Herald (James Verniere) Boston Herald (James Verniere)
In “Nim’s Island,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” also known as Abigail Breslin, goes all Gilligan on us. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Boston Herald (James Verniere)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider) The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
"Nim's Island" is a so-so live-action movie that would have been better if it were a cartoon. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.60 out of 4 stars for EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy) EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Walden's family fantasy is an agreeable (but no more) digital-age version of the old classic novel. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.60 out of 4 stars for Reeling Reviews (Laura Clifford) Reeling Reviews (Laura Clifford)
...an amalgamation of "Romancing the Stone" (writer leaves safe life to experience adventure), "Cloak & Dagger" (same actor portrays father and literary hero) and "Home Alone" (kid fends off adult home invaders). ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Reeling Reviews (Laura Clifford)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.60 out of 4 stars for Film School Rejects (Kevin Carr) Film School Rejects (Kevin Carr)
There are some moments that might annoy anyone over the age of ten. But the target market of young kids should just enjoy the adventure. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Film School Rejects (Kevin Carr)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.60 out of 4 stars for Christian Science Monitor (M. K. Terrell) Christian Science Monitor (M. K. Terrell)
Audiences may find early scenes of father-daughter family life more engaging than the adventures that ensue, but this is a fairly successful attempt at a preteen-friendly entertainment. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Christian Science Monitor (M. K. Terrell)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for WaffleMovies.com (Willie Waffle) WaffleMovies.com (Willie Waffle)
What kind of world do we live in when a massively talented actress like Jodie Foster becomes the comic relief character in a kid's movie and is called upon to pretend to vomit (twice)? It doesn't ruin Nim's Island, but it doesn't help. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at WaffleMovies.com (Willie Waffle)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for USA Today (Claudia Puig) USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Nim's Island is a win-win proposition: an entertaining, diverting adventure saga that offers excitement and a relatable heroine for children, and also will remind their parents of favorite classics from their own youth. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs) PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
Early in Nim’s Island, the lovely, serenely self-confident Nim (Abigail Breslin) loses herself in a new book. It’s the latest in her favorite series, written by Alex Rover and starring Alex Rover, an adventurer of the Indiana Jones persuasion. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman) Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Can filmmakers no longer create true-to-life inspirational stories about people in extraordinary circumstances? ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey) Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
Keep your shirts on, ladies. You don't need to rent a child to see this mildly diverting, if middling, adventure. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for Boston Globe (Ty Burr) Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
The film's an oddity -- an engaging, slightly overcooked fantasy about a castaway-island girl and the agoraphobic San Francisco novelist who comes to her rescue. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for About.com Hollywood Movies (Rebecca Murray) About.com Hollywood Movies (Rebecca Murray)
A feisty young girl fights off cruise ship passengers in funky attire, dances with a sea lion, and hangs out with lizards in the family adventure film Nim’s Island based on the book by Wendy Orr. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at About.com Hollywood Movies (Rebecca Murray)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson) Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Good spirited, [but] rushed and clumsy. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for ReelViews (James Berardinelli) ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Whenever a movie addresses the subject of a girl living alone on a desert island, the soft porn warning lights go on. So it may come as a bit of a surprise that Nim's Island is a family film in which no one considers skinny-dipping. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Mack Bates) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Mack Bates)
Nim's Island is funny when it needs to be, serious when it's required and fantastical throughout. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Mack Bates)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means) Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
Even the kids in the audience will feel a bit insulted by the dumbed-down dialogue and a bit cheated by the bargain-basement special effects. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for Film Journal International (Katey Rich) Film Journal International (Katey Rich)
What could be better for a kid than to live in a tropical treehouse? Well, maybe it’s having a zoo’s worth of animal friends. Or maybe it’s meeting the hero of your favorite books. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Film Journal International (Katey Rich)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for Spirituality & Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat) Spirituality & Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)
Nim (Abigail Breslin) is a plucky 11-year-old girl who lives with her father Jack (Gerald Butler), a marine biologist, on an isolated island in the South Pacific. They have set up a pleasant home for themselves far away from the rest of the world. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Spirituality & Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for MSNBC (Alonso Duralde) MSNBC (Alonso Duralde)
As the heroine of “Nim’s Island,” Abigail Breslin embodies a great kid fantasy — she’s smart, courageous, independent and she lives on a tropical island with her doting father (Gerard Butler) and a menagerie of pals, including a lizard, a seal a ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at MSNBC (Alonso Duralde)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for FilmStew.com (Lisa Johnson) FilmStew.com (Lisa Johnson)
At a time when ten-year-olds are wearing mini-skirts, platform pumps and tattoos, it’s really quite comforting to come across an 11-year-old who is too busy reveling in her own childhood to yet dream of a push-up bra. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at FilmStew.com (Lisa Johnson)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for cinemattraction (Brandon Fibbs) cinemattraction (Brandon Fibbs)
Nim’s Island is pure, unadulterated, escapist fantasy, the sort of roiling adventure film that kids will love but parents will simply have to endure. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at cinemattraction (Brandon Fibbs)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.50 out of 4 stars for The Denver Post The Denver Post
Nim (Abigail Breslin) lives a regular Nim's Family Robinson life on her own deserted isle in "Nim's Island," the reasonably delightful new kids' fantasy film based on Wendy Orr's novel. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at The Denver Post
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore) Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
It's worth spending 90 minutes on Nim's Island. You just wouldn't want to get stranded there. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten) Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
Nim's Island bogs down a bit in the midsection with a subplot that seems to be more about the "do" than the derring-do, but the oft-cited phrase about becoming the hero of one's own story is a mantra that bears repetition. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten) Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
Boys adventure stories are a dime (store novel) a dozen, but girls adventure tales are rare things indeed. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for PopMatters (Bill Gibron) PopMatters (Bill Gibron)
Nim's Island is all too insular, lost in its own unique universe somewhere between Swiss Family Robinson and Joe vs. the Volcano. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at PopMatters (Bill Gibron)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Boxoffice Magazine (Pete Hammond) Boxoffice Magazine (Pete Hammond)
This scenic adventure/comedy delivers exactly what it promises—from broad slapstick to exciting action that stops short of becoming too intense for its intended audience. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Boxoffice Magazine (Pete Hammond)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.25 out of 4 stars for kids-in-mind kids-in-mind
Nim (Abigail Breslin), is an 11-year-old girl that lives alone on a South Pacific island with her scientist father (Gerard Butler) after her mother was swallowed by a great blue whale. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at kids-in-mind
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.20 out of 4 stars for ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas) ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
For adults, a grueling exercise in patience and endurance, especially in watching actors that we know can do better lowering themselves to try to mold themselves into some fictitious kid-friendly formula. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.20 out of 4 stars for E! Online (Dezhda Mountz) E! Online (Dezhda Mountz)
This supposed adventure movie could use a little more wind in its sails. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at E! Online (Dezhda Mountz)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.20 out of 4 stars for film.com (Eric D. Snider) film.com (Eric D. Snider)
I'm not going to quibble too much with a harmless adventure flick meant for tween girls. Then again, I'm not going to knock myself out recommending it, either. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at film.com (Eric D. Snider)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for KYW Newsradio (Bill Wine) KYW Newsradio (Bill Wine)
Rush hour? Traffic jams? Lines at the supermarket? Nim never heard of 'em. That's because where she lives, on a remote island in the South Pacific, there are no such things. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at KYW Newsradio (Bill Wine)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for KPBS.org (Beth Accomando) KPBS.org (Beth Accomando)
Watching Jodie Foster in Nim's Island (opening April 4 throughout San Diego) is something of a disorienting experience. You forget that she's won a pair of Oscars and done fine, subtle work in films such as Taxi Driver and Silence of the Lambs. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at KPBS.org (Beth Accomando)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Film-Forward.com (Kent Turner) Film-Forward.com (Kent Turner)
Played for laughs, [Foster's] neurotic tics become repetitious and more abrasive than humorous%u2014such as her addiction to Purell (hello, product placement!). ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Film-Forward.com (Kent Turner)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Los Angeles Daily News (Evan Henerson) Los Angeles Daily News (Evan Henerson)
I'm not sure what's more depressing: seeing potential tween megastar Abigail Breslin underused or watching Jodie Foster clutching a Progresso soup can for dear life and smacking head-first into a tree. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Los Angeles Daily News (Evan Henerson)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for WCBE's It's Movie Time (John DeSando) WCBE's It's Movie Time (John DeSando)
The Swiss Family Robinson idea of a family stranded and making a go of it has always fascinated me, not so much Gilligan's Island as The Tempest with talented father and magical daughter. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at WCBE's It's Movie Time (John DeSando)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Richmond Times-Dispatch Richmond Times-Dispatch
Watching the children's movie "Nim's Island," you can see that it was probably a pretty good book. The things about it that play out so poorly on the screen would work much better in print. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Richmond Times-Dispatch
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Screen International Screen International
A smart and lively family film boasting star draws in Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster and Gerard Butler, Nim's Island is destined to have a long life on multiple platforms over many years. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Screen International
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for ShowBIZ Data ShowBIZ Data
Many of the critics reviewing Nim's Island realize that most of the folks reading their reviews will never see the movie unless they're the parents of small children, so they set down the barest assessments. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ShowBIZ Data
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Time Out Chicago (Drew Toal) Time Out Chicago (Drew Toal)
Young Nim (the still-adorable Breslin) lives on a remote Pacific island with her marine-biologist father, Jack (Butler). ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Time Out Chicago (Drew Toal)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for TheMovieBoy.com (Dustin Putman) TheMovieBoy.com (Dustin Putman)
Despite its heart being in the right place, Nim's Island is a strikingly far-fetched and cloying picture that tries way too hard to be alternately juvenile and bittersweet. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at TheMovieBoy.com (Dustin Putman)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Deseret News, Salt Lake City (Jeff Vice) Deseret News, Salt Lake City (Jeff Vice)
There are some thrilling sequences, but it's equally groan-inducing as well. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Deseret News, Salt Lake City (Jeff Vice)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Los Angeles Times (Tasha Robinson) Los Angeles Times (Tasha Robinson)
Over the last five years, Walden Media has become a reliable purveyor of big, bright family fantasies such as "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "Bridge to Terabithia" and "Charlotte's Web. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Los Angeles Times (Tasha Robinson)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for New York Daily News (Joe Neumaier) New York Daily News (Joe Neumaier)
Just when the movie needs real girl power, it leaves its heroine stranded. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at New York Daily News (Joe Neumaier)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty) Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty)
If only Nim's hero were more original, and its story more concise. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Variety (Justin Chang) Variety (Justin Chang)
Nim's Island is a picturesque adventure-comedy that quickly capsizes under the weight of its obnoxious slapstick, pedestrian dialogue and general unwillingness to rise above stock ideas and situations. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Variety (Justin Chang)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Metromix.com (Matt Pais) Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
Parents and kids can find more real adventure in a Sunday afternoon trip around a mall parking lot. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for New York Post (Lou Lumenick) New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
ROUGHLY what "Ro mancing the Stone" would have been like as a 1970s Disney flick had CGI been available, "Nim's Island" is strictly for the 8-and-under crowd. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Toronto Star (Philip Marchand) Toronto Star (Philip Marchand)
Since Nim's Island revolves around the adventures of an 11-year-old girl named Nim who lives on an island in the South Pacific and plays with her animal friends, such as Fred the iguana, Selkie the sea lion and Galileo the pelican, it falls under the ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Toronto Star (Philip Marchand)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey) Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
Keep your shirts on, ladies. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for USA Today (Claudia Puig) USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Be the hero of your own story. That's the family-friendly message behind the engaging Nim's Island. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Newsday Newsday
Over the past five years, Walden Media has become a reliable purveyor of big, bright family fantasies from "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" to "Charlotte's Web." But there have been missteps along the way. (Remember "Mr. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Newsday
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Houston Chronicle (Amy Biancolli) Houston Chronicle (Amy Biancolli)
Nim's Island is a pleasant-enough jaunt for a family outing, but it never fully arrives at that 'perfect, secret world. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Houston Chronicle (Amy Biancolli)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek) One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
It’s always disheartening to watch a children’s movie obviously straining to be magical that falls far short of the goal. “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” was an especially sad recent example, and now “Nim’s Island” joins the club. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt) Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt)
"Nim's Island" is a crowded one, a tropical isle jammed with childhood fantasies, exotic creatures, outlandish plots and improbable characters both real and imagined. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.80 out of 4 stars for Onion AV Club (Keith Phipps) Onion AV Club (Keith Phipps)
Directors Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin deliver some eye-catching fantasy sequences in the early scenes, but the film grows more mundane and the tone more uneven as it goes on. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Onion AV Club (Keith Phipps)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.80 out of 4 stars for Seattle Post-Intelligencer (William Arnold) Seattle Post-Intelligencer (William Arnold)
Such an air of dumbness hovers over the movie, and it's all played so broadly that nothing about it is remotely believable. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Seattle Post-Intelligencer (William Arnold)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.80 out of 4 stars for Philadelphia Daily News (Gary Thompson) Philadelphia Daily News (Gary Thompson)
Jodie Foster isn't the first Oscar winner to be defeated by the deceptively simple demands of slapstick comedy. Only the most recent. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Philadelphia Daily News (Gary Thompson)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.75 out of 4 stars for Jam! Movies Jam! Movies
Nim's Island is the sort of movie where people fall off boats in the middle of typhoons and wake up perfectly fine on the shores of deserted South Pacific islands. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Jam! Movies
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for eFilmCritic.com (Brian Orndorf) eFilmCritic.com (Brian Orndorf)
I think it’s wonderful to see Jodie Foster attempt to break out of her cycle of gritted-teeth dramatic roles with a fluffy family comedy. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Brian Orndorf)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for ShowBizCafe.com (Ted Faraone) ShowBizCafe.com (Ted Faraone)
Primero la buena noticia: Jodie Foster si puede interpretar papeles cómicos. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at ShowBizCafe.com (Ted Faraone)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis) New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis)
If Nim’s Island were anything but a children’s movie, the casting genius who suggested Jodie Foster as a potential love interest for Gerard Butler would be looking for a new occupation. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Jam! Movies (Jim Slotek) Jam! Movies (Jim Slotek)
The worst movie of Jodie Foster's adult career, Nim's Island is as big a mess as you might expect from a movie with four credited writers (which means there were probably more) and two directors, all at apparent cross-purposes. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Jam! Movies (Jim Slotek)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for filmcritic.com (Sean O'Connell) filmcritic.com (Sean O'Connell)
devolves into a slapdash version of Home Alone on holiday ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at filmcritic.com (Sean O'Connell)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski) efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)
Long before she became one of the most acclaimed American actresses working today (a ranking that she still deserves despite wasting her talents in recent years on such mindless sludge as “Flightplan” and the truly odious “The Brave One”), Jodie F ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow) Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
The filmmakers both pillory the tourism industry and lambaste families just out for a good time -- the same audience, I would think, for their movie. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey) Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey)
The movie's dated, stereotypical comedy often contradicts its wholesome intentions, coming across as laboriously cutesy and occasionally perverse. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Sean the Movie Guy (Sean McBride) Sean the Movie Guy (Sean McBride)
Think of it as a safari tour for toddlers -- perfectly safe but without any of the legitimate thrills found in a real adventure. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Sean the Movie Guy (Sean McBride)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Slant Magazine (Nick Schager) Slant Magazine (Nick Schager)
The only wonder eventually elicited by Nim's Island is of a mystified variety. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Slant Magazine (Nick Schager)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Detroit News (Tom Long) Detroit News (Tom Long)
There's a stiff, constructed feel to Nim's Island, a constant sense of assembly that keeps the film from ever feeling natural. And no matter how unbelievable a tale might be, it has to take on a reality of its own to work on the screen. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Detroit News (Tom Long)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Can Magazine (Fred Topel) Can Magazine (Fred Topel)
Nim (Abigail Breslin) lives on an island with her marine biologist father Jack (Gerard Butler) reading stories about action hero Alex Rover (also Butler). ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Can Magazine (Fred Topel)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Kansas City Star (Robert W. Butler) Kansas City Star (Robert W. Butler)
A good idea and a great cast are wasted in Nim’s Island, a kiddie flick pitched to second-grade sensibilities that still manages to underestimate its audience. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Kansas City Star (Robert W. Butler)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Oregonian (M.E. Russell) Oregonian (M.E. Russell)
Nim's Island never finds its focus, and there's never a real sense of danger. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Oregonian (M.E. Russell)
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.25 out of 4 stars for Bullz-Eye.com Bullz-Eye.com
Children’s movies are third rails for movie critics. Dare to give one the lashing it deserves, and you may as well tell people your hobbies include drowning kittens. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at Bullz-Eye.com
Nim's Island (2008) scores a combined 1.10 out of 4 stars for BrianOrndorf.com (Brian Orndorf) BrianOrndorf.com (Brian Orndorf)
A headache-inducing film that grows more obnoxious as it plays, but the most piercing element of the movie is Foster. ...read the complete Nim's Island movie review at BrianOrndorf.com (Brian Orndorf)