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Much like the character herself, Nimona had a hard time finding itself. Previously worked on by Blue Sky Studios before its shutdown by Disney, the film’s fate remained in question until Annapurna and Netflix finally picked it up. Now finding its new home, does the movie live up to the awaited anticipation that many animation fans have had? Well, for me, the movie is able to find its footing albeit if it makes a few bumps along the way.
Directed by Nick Bruno and Tony Quane (the duo behind Spies in Disguise), Nimona follows Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight in a cyber-medieval world who gets framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Luckily, Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), a mischievous teenage shapeshifter who Ballister has been trained to fight, crosses his path. Backs against the wall, they team up to clear Ballister’s name while causing havoc along the way. The film is based on the National Book Award-nominated, New York Times best-selling graphic novel by ND Stevenson.
From a visual perspective, the film takes a lot of liberty with its world design. While it pulls its aesthetic inspiration from the novel, the film expands this futuristic feudal world into something more than just the setting. Specific set pieces, combined with the right shading and lighting, can convey strong emotional tones from the events in a specific scene. Nimona is able to utilize these background elements to heavily emphasize the special traits of its characters while also serving as a subversion. Some simplistic visual choices slightly drain the film, but they weren’t a major concern for me.
The characters here are also great as each character is able to play on their own uniqueness. The voice cast does a great job with bringing their own energies into making their roles their own. Plus, the animation team of Double Negative, spearheaded by Theodore A. Ty, gives these characters a great dose of physical expressionism.
Chloë Grace Moretz’s Kick-Ass inspired performance, combined with a great use of stylized fluidity, amplifies Nimona’s punk-rock, rebel attitude. She really gets to shine, providing some good comedic moments while also having strong emotional scenes. She may be headstrong at first, but as the film continues, she develops this warm complexity that made me resonate with her. With the film’s sensitive portrayal of her shapeshifting powers, these elements forge her as the true soul of the movie.
In addition, Ballister and Nimona make quite the interesting pair of contrasting characters. Riz Ahmed’s Ballister, though much more straightforward, is able to create some great chemistry with Nimona throughout the movie. The two blend their conflicting personalities to heighten the emotional tension, which greatly increases with the Institute’s rising opposition. He’s constantly trying to do the right thing in a society that’s shunned him by following what society stands for. Watching him spiritually and emotionally grow with Nimona through their journey made my viewing all that sweeter.
Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang) and the rest of the cast like the Director (Frances Conroy) and Thoddeus Sureblade (Beck Bennett) also get their moments to shine. Ambrosius especially helps enhance the movie, being a minor comedic relief while also serving a pivotal role. There are several moments between Ambrosius and Ballister throughout the movie that really make you feel sympathetic. By the third act, the movie pushes their subtle relationship to the forefront in a way that beautifully enhances their characters.
Surprisingly, Nimona‘s story is a slight departure from being fully adapting the original novel. Unlike the novel, the movie takes a more sympathetic approach to handling its themes. However, it doesn’t stray away from bringing the youthful energy the novel has to appease previous readers.
The film is more llighthearted than the novel, yet it indulges itself in the right amount of emotional maturity. It fully embraces Ballister Boldheart as the selfless “hero”, a big step forward from the full-on villainous Ballister Blackheart in the novel. Rather than seeking out to destroy the Institute, Ballister still believes that there is some good in the world. This, combined with Ballister’s heartful bonds with Ambrosius and Nimona, makes him a good fit as a protagonist.
Furthermore, the film gives Nimona a subtle, yet painful background that does a great job emulating how the novel approaches her backstory. Though it isn’t as intense as it is in the novel, the movie still allows itself to empathize with her character. The movie skillfully pieces Nimona’s tragic backstory throughout, allowing it to show through her actions without overdoing itself. The movie’s changes improve the story in the end, despite several other alterations.
However, there are some flaws with it that it can’t correct. Outside of the simplistic visuals, some of the punk-rock songs can be a bit overbearing during important scenes. It gives you this tiny hint of whiplash between the film’s seriousness and the fun, especially during the second act. Secondly, the comedy, while good in certain areas, can also add to this tonal whiplash as it sometimes overdoes itself. This is the case with Thoddeus Sureblade, whose self-obsessive overconfident throughout the film utilizes a comedic element a little too much. Thankfully, with a strong focus on the story and utilization of the main characters, these shortfalls get overshadowed.
Overall, Nimona is a wild adventure that excellently adapts the novel in a way that improves this classic story. It’s got complex and layered characters, some fun comedic moments, and a wonderful undertaking of its themes. Despite having to go through development hell, I’m glad that this movie was able to be completed and made with all the love from the team behind it. This movie certainly has the charming appeal to resonate with old and new fans alike even if it has some imperfections. As someone who’s been waiting for this movie myself, I can definitely say it’s worth the watch.
★★★★
Nimona releases on Netflix on June 30.
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