Island Incerception
It's always the way, just as things are running smoothly something comes along to upset the apple cart. This is what happens when Nim (Bindi Irwin) and her father Jack (Matthew Lillard) learn that the island they work on is being scouted by developers looking for somewhere to build a huge tourist attraction. Whilst Jack heads to the mainland to try and convince some politicians to block any development Nim is left looking after the island and her dad's new assistant, the permanently nervous Felix (Nathan Derrick). But that is when Edmund (Toby Wallace), a young runaway, shows up and unfortunately his arrival also leads to poachers following him with Nim having to defend the island.
Unlike many I wasn't that blown away by "Nim's Island" and found it a good but flawed family movie. As such I watched "Return to Nim's Island" with little in the way of expectation and in truth spotting that both Nim and Jack had different actors I feared it would be a lot worse. The good news is that it isn't a lot worse, the bad news is that "Return to Nim's Island" is worse but for its intended audience it does the job,
Now when I think back to the movies from my childhood there were a few which featured a child trying to protect their home from developers, be that a ranch or a mountain cabin and that is what we get in "Return to Nim's Island" but with the threat not just being developers but also poachers. The thing is that whilst this gives the movie its storyline it isn't really attention grabbing and the knock on effect of this is that as times the movie veers towards being a wild animal showcase which is fine for a young audience but not so entertaining for adults watching with their children.
Of course there is also the fact that Bindi Irwin takes over the role of Nim from Abigail Breslin and whilst Bindi is likeable she isn't Breslin when it comes to acting. It means there are times when Bindi's performance causes this to feel a little awkward although she brings to the movie her likeable nature and that sense of anything is possible. Then there is Matthew Lillard who is no Gerard Butler but who again does an adequate job for who this movie is intended for,
What this all boils down to is that for who its intended audience is "Return to Nim's Island" is an okay movie which is easy to follow and inoffensive. But for adults who watch this with their children will find little in the way of entertainment for them.
