NIM'S ISLAND — ** — Jodie Foster, Abigail Breslin, Gerard Butler; rated PG (violence, vulgarity, profanity, brief drugs)
When you think of Jodie Foster these days, you tend to remember the sometimes-intense, as-often-icy characters she played in such hit thrillers as "The Brave One," "Flightplan" and "Panic Room."
And you certainly don't think of the light comedienne version of Foster who appeared in the movie version of "Maverick" and the original "Freaky Friday."
"Nim's Island" finds Foster trying to lighten up a bit, indulging her comic tendencies.
Unfortunately, it's been a while and she's clearly trying too hard, as is this dopey children's fantasy/adventure film (an adaptation of Wendy Orr and Kerry Milard's book). There are some thrilling sequences, but it's equally groan-inducing as well.
Foster stars as Alexandra (Alex) Rover, the reclusive and extremely phobic author of a series of best-selling adventure novels.
She has writer's block and desperately needs to do some research for her latest book, which involves volcanoes. A quick Internet search reveals an isolated desert island that contains a volcano, and is inhabited by 11-year-old Nim Rusoe (Abigail Breslin) and her marine biologist father, Jack (Gerard Butler).
However, Jack has gone missing during a research trip, and has left the normally self-reliant and resourceful Nim to fend for herself. And she's got her hands full, trying to repel some cruise ship "buccaneers."
Four credited screenwriters, which include co-directors Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin ("Little Manhattan"), play up the dumber story elements, such as the antics of Nim's animal pals (a pelican, a sea lion, a sea tortoise and an iguana).
But these bits just aren't that funny — especially the crushingly heavy-handed product placement.
And neither Foster nor Breslin seem all that comfortable with what they're doing.
You also have to wonder why the filmmakers had Butler unconvincingly disguise his Scottish accent when he's playing Nim's dad, but let him use the real thing when he's playing another, fantasy-sequence character (Alex's heroic creation).
"Nim's Island" is rated PG for some violent action (volcanic eruptions, violent storms and child-in-peril elements), vulgar gags and references (including some animal flatulence and toilet humor), scattered profanity (mostly religiously based), and brief drug content and references (motion-sickness pills). Running time: 95 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com