Summary
This startlingly original animated film moves marginalised narratives to the front and centre, questions the history of representation, and delivers one of the best hero arcs of the year.
When the graphic novel Nimona burst onto the scene in 2015, it solidified the already stellar reputation of cartoonist and writer ND Stephenson. The creator had already been receiving praise for the progressive fantasy Lumberjanes, which ultimately enjoyed a six year run. While utilising and deconstructing some of the tropes inherent to comics, both of these works also seemed ready-made for the screen.
So, after various bits of development hell, a property originally eyeballed by Blue Sky (under Fox then Disney), it’s NIMONA who has fought her way to the fore via Netflix. From the opening narration, it’s clear that this is a film about rewriting traditional narratives. “Some of us don’t get that happily ever after because it ain’t that kind of kingdom – and this ain’t that kind of story.”
Indeed, that’s the context in which we are introduced to Ballister Boldheart (voiced by Riz Ahmed), the first commoner to be knighted alongside his lover, Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang). Where Ambrosius is beloved by all, there’s a fierce public debate in the futuristic kingdom about whether Ballister is ‘worthy.’
On the cusp of knighthood, Ballister appears to assassinate the Queen. On the run and trying to clear his name, he is aided by Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), a shapeshifter who is fairly insistent on being Ballister’s sidekick. Like Ballister, Nimona is not what she appears to be – and their actions together may change wider preconceptions.
Directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, best known recently for Spies in Disguise, are no strangers to animated fare. Yet with screenwriters Robert L. Baird and Lloyd Taylor, they have created something truly unique on the landscape. Here is a mainstream animated film that not only shifts the LGBTQIA+ narrative to the centre of the screen, but never rests on its laurels.
Filled with an energy Nimona frequently calls ‘metal’, but backed by music ranging from the Sahara Hotnights to Metric, it’s fair to say NIMONA is a little more anarchically punk in her outlook. Nimona being a shapeshifter means that she’s never statically one thing or persona for long. She defaults to presenting as a young girl, but she could be an ape, rhino, or even a giant dragon. Yes, it’s an obvious analogy, but it works so well for a broad range of audiences.
There’s a wonderful scene where Nimona ribs Ballister for his “small-minded questions,” or rebels against his misguided notions that it would be “easier” for Nimona if she appeared “normal” in public. “Easier for who?” she genuinely asks, adding that if she didn’t shapeshift “I wouldn’t die, but I sure wouldn’t be living.” These moments are never didactic, but simply lessons in openness for people of all ages. In fact, the whole kingdom is surrounded by a wall – a literal and metaphorical one – designed to keep the ‘monsters’ out. It takes this open dialogue for someone to finally ask the question that might break them down: “What if we’ve always been wrong.”
When production started on NIMONA at Blue Sky, they used a 2D stylization similar to The Peanuts Movie (2015). Said to be influenced by Eyvind Earle (Disney’s Sleeping Beauty) and the Modernist art of Charley Harper, the world created is a stunning combination of futuristic sci-fi, fantasy settings, and something more grounded.
When production was revived at Annapurna, using the London-based DNEG, the baseline was used for a seamless final product filled with stunning backgrounds and engaging leads. The film retains the comic book origins in the character animation, while dropping them into environments that maximise the width of the film’s canvas as well.
In a year that has already been filled with some powerful animated films, from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to Elemental, here’s one that stands out simply by being as heartfelt as it is thrilling. NIMONA isn’t just a great piece of animated fare, it’s an important film. It’s about being seen for anyone who has ever felt misrepresented, and the power of connections.
2023 | USA | DIRECTOR: Nick Bruno, Troy Quane | WRITERS: Robert L. Baird, Lloyd Taylor (based on the graphic novel by ND Stephenson) | CAST: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Frances Conroy, Eugene Lee Yang | DISTRIBUTOR: Netflix | RUNNING TIME: 99 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 30 June 2023 (Netflix)
