Nimona has had a long road to screens, with the animated film at one point even being more or less declared dead in the water following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Luckily -- for the filmmakers and audiences -- the film has survived and made its way to Netflix. A beautifully constructed medley of dark humor, clever action, and sincere heartbreak, Nimona is a triumph -- and is definitely going to be a lot of kids' new favorite film.
Adapted from the web series/graphic novel of the same name by creator ND Stevenson, Nimona follows the titular character -- Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) -- a mysterious trouble-making shapeshifter in a hybrid futuristic/medieval world. Looking to cause a little mayhem, she forces herself into the employ of Ballister Blackheart (Riz Ahmed), a former knight on the run after being framed for the murder of the Queen. As Ballister and Nimona investigate the machinations of the Director (Frances Conroy) and try to stay ahead of Ballister's former love interest and current champion knight Ambrosius (Eugene Lee Yang), the two form a powerful bond. But discoveries about Nimona's mysterious past risk tearing them -- and the entire kingdom -- apart.
While the original ran as a web series and developed a more cohesive story over time, this adaptation of Nimona is far more focused from the start, with a greater emphasis on the character arc for Ballister and his connection with Nimona. This more focused approach benefits the feature adaptation and streamlines the story in clever ways. It allows that charm to be an advantage of the film while still allowing the vivid but accessible characters to fully drive the narrative. Moretz and Ahmed are both pure joys in their roles, finding unexpected shades in Nimona and Ballister. They're bolstered by a strong supporting cast.
The animation alone is worth the price of admission, blending different styles and looks with a clear eye for staging and lighting. As a result, it's impressive across the board -- the action is clear and concise, the fluidity of motion lends the characters a wealth of personality, and the film's best sequences showcase great visual power. In a year of impressively animated films, like Pixar's Elemental and Sony Animation's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Nimona holds its own -- creating massive settings while retaining its grunge-inspired aesthetic. That it all works so well together is down to the animation team helmed by Directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane.
The world-building is subtle but well-defined, clearly riffing on modern sensibilities but using these archaic elements to make a point about its world and our own. The humor is character-driven but accessible, never resorting to references or gross-out gags. The original story's themes are still present but refined through tweaked backstories and motivations to make for a more complex story. There are questions of self-reflection and self-representation, the meaning of duty and honor, and even a surprisingly blunt and heartbreaking focus on depression that all comes to life through some of the best animation of the year. There are so many balls in the air in this film, but Nimona manages to catch them all.
Nimona is one of those perfect all-ages films that really does appeal to all ages. Younger kids, curious teens, older parents -- any audience can see themselves in the story and characters, warts and all -- and for underserved portions of the fantasy audience in the LGBTQ community, it may be especially powerful. A vivid and instantly memorable world filled with even better characters, Nimona is an absolute blast. It's the perfect showcase of how adaptation can take something already fun, thought-provoking, and bittersweet and expand it into something even bigger and better.
Nimona comes to Netflix Jun. 30.