Netflix’s Nimona is a remarkable delight from beginning to end, with astounding animation and exceptional performances from the entire cast. Starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, Frances Conroy, Lorraine Toussaint, RuPaul, and more, the animated film is imperfect but sparkling with much to adore for both children and adults.
Directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane with a screenplay from Robert L. Baird and Lloyd Taylor, Nimona is based on ND Stevenson’s graphic novel of the same name. Now, as someone who’s late to the game, I can’t say how much the film stays faithful to the graphic novel, but the story is oddly satisfying while leaving desirable beats for a possible sequel and more. Additionally, while I’d prefer a happier, more tidier ending, it’s hard not to have hope after the film concludes with romance sparkling in a science fiction genre where it’s still pretty rare.
Animation in recent years continues to be more underrated as people understandably become both more hesitant and critical, but Nimona’s artistry is a beauty in every way, with motions and story arcs that feel memorable, unique, and mesmerizing at every turn. The more mature themes with the stunning spectacle also provide a lot more to think about, which makes the film that much more enticing.
You can’t write a review about Nimona without highlighting the titular character and Chloë Grace Moretz’s voice acting, which beautifully brings the shapeshifting little gem to life. Moretz and Ahmed are incredible scene partners throughout the film, providing the same kind of lovely beats that this theme of a grumpy man being reluctantly stuck with a spritely sidekick is and will continue to be everything. Their partnership is a large part of the reason the animated film is so engaging, and when we do get to the meat of the story that carefully unravels her history and how it ties to the kingdom, something magic blossoms entirely.
So much of the reason Nimona works is that it highlights entitlement along with the importance of withholding judgments without proper information. It’s a relatively common theme to explore in fantasy and sci-fi, where the concept of villainy, along with the notions of good vs evil, are at the center of the plot. Here, the idea is a little more complex, coming in between love as questions arise about who to trust and why. As it explores this theme through various characters, it makes it abundantly clear that those cloaked in false niceties are the problems as opposed to ones that might look different (Nimona).
With the simple yet timeless narrative, Nimona gives itself plenty of room to mesh joy and heartaches as it slowly unravels why everything is happening. It might not be innovative, though seeing an openly gay relationship shine in animation is truly wonderful, and it does indeed leave a bit to be desired, but it’s still a straightforward story to lose oneself in. It knows what it wants to explore, and it does so without trying too hard, relying on the characters to draw us toward the journey that’ll leave the mark. It’s about what it evokes emotionally, which is always more pleasurable than something that neglects the heart of the characters for a wild plot.
Nimona is now streaming on Netflix.