As a boy, Jim Hawkins (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was enchanted by stories of the legendary pirate, Captain Flint, and his ability to appear from nowhere, raid passing ships, and disappear in order to hide the loot on "Treasure Planet." Jim's father abandons the son and his mother (Laurie Metcalf) when Jim is a child; therefore Jim grows up to be alienated, begrudgingly helping his mother run an inn, and only getting his thrills from "solar surfing".