Then Jack is caught in a storm and lost at sea. For help, Nim turns to her favorite author, Alex Rover, an Indiana Jones type whose books about his rough-and-tumble adventures are international bestsellers. But Nim is unaware that the real Alex is Alexandra Rover (Jodie Foster), an agoraphobic, fussy San Francisco fiction writer. Nim's e-mail pleas for rescue set off a crisis for Alexandra, who feels obligated to help.
"Nim's Island" is a fun story, particularly in its playful, creative sense of the relationship between fiction and reality. When Nim reads the latest Alex Rover book, her room falls away, and her inner Alex Rover (Butler) fights his fiendish enemies next to her bed.
Nim's island is presented as a lush fantasy wonderland, shot in gorgeous, loving detail. Flawless CGI and forays into animation keep things visually lively, and Nim's enviable life is likely to hook kids into the story early and keep them entranced.