As expansive and inviting as its picturesque New Zealand landscapes, a joyous sense of adventure permeates Ant Timpson's “ Bookworm ,” a delightfully quirky father-daughter adventure that masterfully blends childlike wonder with mature themes. It's a charming escapade that brings to mind Taika Waititi's “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” – in that, “Bookworm” is for anyone who enjoys family road movies with a dash of maturity, breathtaking stakes, and a dry sense of humor. Think “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” and “Up,” with some “Indiana Jones” mixed in, and you'll be in the right ballpark.

At the heart of the story is the 11-year-old Mildred (the terrific breakout Nell Fisher ), a precocious tween being raised modestly in the Canterbury region by a single Kiwi mom working several jobs to make ends meet. In cinema, children outfitted with precociousness can sometimes be a cringey deal, like watching a young one overeagerly emulating an adult in mannerisms that are a few sizes too large. But through a genuine script by Toby Harvard (based on a story by him and Timpson), Fisher looks and sounds believably at ease with Mildred’s beyond-her-years snappy sophistication, while managing to hold onto her youthful innocence and spirit. The credit belongs equally to her and the filmmaking duo, whose narrative quirks didn’t quite work in the juvenile, blood-splattered thriller-comedy “Come to Daddy” in 2019. Perhaps their cinematic instincts work better when channeled towards younger-leaning fare.

Those instincts reunite them with “Come to Daddy” star Elijah Wood as Strawn Wise, Mildred’s long-estranged American father. When a freak accident involving a toaster puts Mildred’s mother in a coma, Strawn steps in to take care of his uniquely quirky daughter, even though he's never met her before. (Mildred was conceived during a casual one-night stand in Las Vegas, you see.) It's not surprising that the two don't immediately form a bond. Being a struggling magician (well, he prefers the more elegant title, “illusionist”), the somewhat insecure, laid-back and almost pathetically well-meaning Strawn isn’t exactly the picture of ideal fatherhood. But the lonely, voracious reader Mildred — who’s both exceptionally intelligent and an outcast at her school due to her unique traits — decides to reluctantly join him on a camping trip anyway. The goal? To gather filmed evidence of the existence of a legendary local panther and collect the $50,000 prize offered to any daring explorer who succeeds in the mission.

Falling behind on their finances, Mildred and her dear mommy could definitely use the money. So the comically mismatched duo sets out into the unknown to search for the creature. While it's predictable that the two would not only find the panther but also develop a genuine understanding and love for each other, the way Harvard and Timpson move the story forward is still surprising, entertaining, and heartwarming, filled with plenty of embarrassing dad jokes and teenage eye-rolling.

Early on, much of the film's humor arises from the contrast between Mildred's vast vocabulary and knowledge compared to the quirky Strawn's less-worldly existence. After all, he's merely a mediocre illusionist who wears black nail polish to appear cool, often failing to impress his daughter with magic tricks. (There's also a hilarious joke at the beginning about who David Copperfield is to these eccentrics – a Dickens character or a magician?) However, Harvard's script gradually reveals the deeper, more heartwarming aspects of their familial bond through campfires, scenic lakes, and various perilous situations they find themselves in across a stunning landscape that can also be hostile to the unprepared.

The most significant of these dangers turns out to be an initially unassuming couple, memorably portrayed by Michael Smiley and Vanessa Stacey. They introduce themselves as Arnold and Angelina and join the father-daughter duo for what seems like a fun detour. The situation shifts when Strawn realizes the true nature of these eccentric individuals. On the surface, the scenes involving these temporary companions offer a few laughs and some unsettling suspense. However, they also highlight Strawn's disarming love for his daughter. In an unexpected moment, the calling of fatherhood finds him subtly.

Wood, with his penetrating gaze, brings a captivating and comforting presence to his performance, subtly conveying Strawn's vulnerability as he embraces fatherhood. Cinematographer Daniel Katz's observant camera captures the delicate bond between the leads, providing both intimacy and space for them to breathe amidst the grand scenery designed for the big screen. This is cleverly hinted at from the start – Katz begins the film with an unusual boxed aspect ratio, expanding the frame as Strawn and Mildred venture into the wilderness. It's almost as if the filmmakers want to declare right away that their intimate story has larger ambitions, both visually and emotionally. And they deliver precisely that: a deceptively small story, unafraid to be bold in its visuals and emotional impact.