Netflix closes off #Pride month with this cute animated movie based on the fantasy graphic novel of the same name, Nimona. A tale that highlights themes of queerness and fluidity of identity, and how they oppose and subvert traditional controlling institutions and exclusionary systems.
We meet Ballister Boldheart a newly promoted knight who whilst being knighted ends up killing the Queen and is now the most wanted person in the kingdom. He crosses paths with a character named Nimona who is a shapeshifter and opts to take the form of a little girl most of the time although she is able to grow or shrink and take any human or animal form. Boldheart sets out to clear his name in his ethical and noble way however we have Nimona who wants to help him do so but with her own bloody and violent methods and that’s were the bulk of the joy comes from. It’s an adorable and endearing journey.
Chloe Grace Moretz is magnificent as the sidekick of the film. She voices Nimona and really brings her to life in all her forms. She’s a professional menace. Sharp, energetic, vibrant, pushy and she’s literally non stop, such a joy to watch. She’s really funny in this film. Riz Ahmed plays Boldheart our framed hero. He’s a rational and noble knight at heart. He’s loving, caring and just in disbelief of his whole downfall. You can feel the emotion through the voice acting as he transitions from hero to villain through this story. Eugene Lee Yang voices Ambrosius, the kingdoms golden boy knight. He’s the lover of Boldheart and forced into a position where he has to choose a side. Frances Conroy plays the role of the Director. She’s stern, direct and carries the leadership role quite well.
Nimona takes place in a cyber punk style medieval world. A kingdom where knights in armour ride hover bikes instead of horses and FaceTime each other on their smart phones when in a time of need. It’s a tech heavy world. It’s a fun and interesting take on this kind of setting. The animation is clean cut, smooth and high spirited. Everything just pops off screen. The art style is different and I liked the creative decision there as it assisted in making her animal transitions more exuberant.
It’s a movie with many twists and turns in which a child could get easily lost. They do not shy away with plot twists and it’s enjoyable. The action is neat and it’s entertaining to keep guessing what transformation will come next. What shines best here are the characters, Nimona in particular. She’s just full of chaos. Something as simple as walking down the street will have her bullying and just inconveniencing others, it’s a nice insight into her character.
Although she’s commonly shown as a little girl she’s the movies tool to underline some LGBTQA references besides the 2 main characters being a gay couple.
There’s a scene she transforms into a boy and quotes a line “in life you can be whatever you want to be”. The creative decision to keep her gender indefinable worked well as it just kept us the audience engaged in her characteristics rather than gender. The story here focuses on friendship, loneliness, betrayal, grief, amongst many other things.
Some heavy hitting messages which I’m sure some children will miss but they will enjoy the film regardless. It’s beautiful to look at, the transformations are really cool and there’s enough action to keep you entertained. It’s a recommended watch for me.
Do you want to see this movie get a sequel? Did you see the twists coming? Did Gloreth remind you of a certain DC Pride icon? React and comment below…
