Nimona
This sci-fi fantasy animated movie arrived on Netflix with little fanfare, but it’s a delightful family-friendly story that feels both traditional and subversive, and genuinely has something to offer viewers of any age.
Premise: In a futuristic society that combines medieval knights with flying cars, Ballister Boldheart (voiced by Riz Ahmed) is about to become the first commoner to be knighted by the Queen. But after being framed for a crime he didn’t commit, Ballister vows to clear his name – but he may only be able to do so with the help of Nimona (voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz), a rebellious teenager with unusual powers of her own, who believes that every good ‘villain’ needs a faithful sidekick.
Review:
Sometimes Netflix release an original movie with little fanfare because it’s not actually that good, but other times, you wonder why they’re not shouting from the rooftops about how great their new release is: Nimona definitely falls into that second category.
It’s not easy to make a film that genuinely has something to offer viewers of all ages, but Nimona does just that. Younger viewers will find plenty to enjoy in the surface-level adventure and comedic moments, while older children and teenagers may find that the film’s LGBTQ+ themes and the way it addresses the destructive power of isolation and otherness speak to them. Adult viewers will hopefully enjoy the whole package, from the exhilarating adventure quest and mystery-thriller plot elements, to the genuinely amusing comedic moments and the heartfelt relationship that develops between Ballister (Riz Ahmed) and Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz).
“…the film has surprising depth for something that could potentially be dismissed as ‘just a kids’ film’…”
Riz Ahmed and Chloë Grace Moretz are both fantastic in their respective roles; Chloë Grace Moretz is able to walk the fine line needed to ensure that Nimona is entertainingly rebellious without ever becoming irritating, no matter how exasperated Ballister may become by her behaviour – but more than that, she’s also able to convey the layers of Nimona’s character that Nimona has hidden behind her emotional barriers. Equally, Riz Ahmed brings so much depth to Ballister, making him a fully realised character with understandable human weaknesses, who is struggling with his own sense of acceptance and worthiness even at the start of the film, despite being on the verge of knighthood and having won the heart of the most popular knight of the realm, Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang).
It’s here that the film has surprising depth for something that could potentially be dismissed as “just a kids’ film”. The film tackles (in an allegorical way, thanks to its futuristic/medieval setting) the impact of prejudice, closemindedness and “othering”, with some characters having to deal with institutional prejudices and bigotry even when they appear to have been accepted, while others are ostracised from the outset simply for who they are. The film also explores themes of identity, self-expression and tolerance with a light-touch, in a way that never feels preachy and which enhances the main themes and plot of the film, rather than detract from them. But the allegorical nature of the story means that it’s hopefully not dismissed as being a film “about” homophobia or racism (or any other form of prejudice that’s been labelled) – it’s simply a film about questioning what we’re told when we’re brought up to believe that those “others” who are different from us are somehow also “less”.
“…a hugely enjoyable piece of family entertainment…”
Hopefully, none of this makes the film sound too “worthy”, as it’s actually a great example of how a film can have a meaningful message at its heart and still be a hugely enjoyable piece of family entertainment. The action sequences are fun and engaging, the comedy doesn’t feel too forced (the easy chemistry between Riz Ahmed and Chloë Grace Moretz is a key part of the film’s success), and the central plot has some interesting twists and turns that I wasn’t necessarily expecting. Not only that, but the film’s aesthetic blending of sci-fi and fantasy imagery, and its interesting animation style, makes the film look and feel both comfortingly familiar and unlike anything else I’ve seen. Overall, the fact that the film is so much fun and it might give you something to think about as well is just the icing on the cake.
It’s disappointing that in this day and age, during the film’s development Disney executives apparently pushed back against the LGBTQ+ themes in the film, before the film was picked up by Annapurna Pictures and Netflix. Given that the movie is all about empathy, understanding and accepting people for who they are, it’s depressing that a major studio like Disney can still look at a project like this and take issue with its simple wish to depict a same-sex couple in the same way as any heterosexual couple in a family movie would be. The behind-the-scenes difficulties that this film faced only serve as a reminder of why it’s so important that more films like this get made, and get seen by as many people as possible.
“…both a traditional story of good-versus-evil, and an inventive subversion of those tropes…”
Overall, this is a film that I would be happy to recommend to viewers of any age, as it has something to offer everyone from the under-10s to middle-aged cynics. It manages to tell a futuristic fairytale that is both a traditional story of good-versus-evil, and an inventive subversion of those tropes, in a way that is thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end.
