Nim's Island (U)

Jodie Foster, last seen pounding New York's meaner streets in vigilante thriller The Brave One, takes a break from reality in this likeable fantasy adventure.

The double-Oscar winner plays author Alexandra Rover, creator of an Indiana Jones-style fictional hero who is a world away from her agoraphobic, clean freak, self. By the wonders of e-mail, she comes into contact with Nim (Abigail Breslin), a little girl living on a tropical island with her scientist father (Glasgow's Gerard Butler).

Inspired by her own creation – Butler doubling up as the dashing hero – Foster limps into action when a call for help arrives. If the fantasy scenes prove confusing for the U-certificate crowd, and the attempts at comedy slightly toe-curling for adults, there's plenty of exotic animals and scenery. The walk on the lighter side suits Foster.

Two studios have been brave enough to go up against this summer's first blaockbuster, Iron Man, with some fairly audacious counter-programming.

I suspect Nim's Island will provide the more successful opponent.

The film is based on a children's book which has been a big hit in Australia and the States.

Nim (Abigail Breslin) is a young girl who lives on an island with her researcher father (Gerard Butler). She spends her days on this idyllic paradise having fun with the animals who are her only friends.

Her other passion is the Alex Rover books, a series of adventures featuring a dashing hero.

When her father goes missing in a tropical storm Nim gets in touch with Rover for help. What she doesn?t know is that the Alex Rover books are actually written by Alexandra Rover (Jodie Foster), a timid agoraphobic writer living in New York.

Eventually Alexandra puts her phobias to one side and answers the call, to save Nim, her father and the island.

In many ways this is a bit like a junior version of Romancing the Stone, especially with Gerard Butler in a dual role as Breslin's dad and the dashing fictional Rover.

However, the quality cast - especially Foster - manage to pull off the rare feat of creating a family film that doesn't talk down to children and manages to engage an older audience as well.

Foster is terrific and relishes the opportunity to play comedy, Breslin is as engaging as ever, and Butler does double duty with style and confidence.

I'm sure there will be loads of youngsters who want to read the book after seeing the film.