‘Nimona’: Annecy Review

Dirs: Nick Bruno, Troy Quane. USA. 2023. 98mins

A disgraced Knight of the Realm – the first commoner to train as an elite protector of the people – is forced into hiding when his sword malfunctions and he accidentally slaughters his benefactor in this boisterous retro-futurist adventure which will be released theatrically by Netflix in the US, Canada, UK and Spain before a streaming platform launch on June 30.. To clear his name, Ballister Boldheart (voiced by Riz Ahmed) must join forces with Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), a semi-feral teenage girl with a gremlin’s grin and a talent for mayhem. Nimona is a shape-shifter, who can morph effortlessly from rhino to shark to whale to armadillo; a skill that gives the pair a distinct advantage in the field of conflict. But according to the terrified townsfolk, cowering behind their fortified walls, she’s a monster – the very thing that Ballister has sworn to slaughter.

Younger audiences will no doubt relish the exuberant mischief and humour that Moretz brings to her voice performance

It’s a slick, enjoyable package from Spies In Disguise directing duo Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, and Netflix will likely be hoping that Nimona might repeat the animation awards success of last year’s Pinocchio. But while it’s an enjoyable, high-quality production, Nimona may lack the attention-grabbing originality that could push it into the centre of the awards conversation. Still, it is a film that manages to put a distinctive spin on themes that are, it has to be said, very familiar. The manipulation of fear; suspicion of the unknown; the torment of the misunderstood monster: it’s all pretty well-trodden territory for animation, most recently in Netflix’s 2022 release The Sea Monster and the Cartoon Saloon’s Wolfwalkers. But this film, which was adapted from a graphic novel by ND Stevenson, has a couple of distinctive selling points that should set it apart. 

Firstly, there’s the backdrop to the story – a kind of sci-fi feudalism that blends medieval elements with fantasy modernity. The armour-clad knights who are trained to protect the realm are chosen by birthright – Ballister, who was championed by the Queen, is unique in the fact he is from a humble background. But the steeds that they ride are more like levitating jet-skis than horses, and their swords can shoot lasers as well as slice limbs.

Secondly, there is the film’s message of queer and trans acceptance (ND Stevenson, author of the source material, identifies as transmasculine and bi-gender). Ballister is in a relationship with another knight, the handsome and dashing Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang). And as Ballister soon learns, accepting Nimona for who she is means understanding her need to transition between forms. “What would happen if you held it in!?” asks Ballister. “I’d die,” deadpans Nimona. She’s joking, at the time at least. But the film makes the case that living within a society that views anything different as monstrous and to be feared will eventually take a considerable toll, even on an effervescent agent of chaos like Nimona. 

It’s possible that the film’s LGBTQ+ themes might prove to be contentious among certain sections of the audience but, since previous mainstream animations such as Strange World and Lightyear have already foregrounded gay couples, Nimona is unlikely to suffer much in the way of a backlash. And while the message is central to the film’s emotional impact, it’s the chaos that holds the key to its broader appeal. Whether or not they understand the film’s subtext, younger audiences will no doubt relish the exuberant mischief and humour that Moretz brings to her voice performance – as well as Nimona’s gleeful disregard for authority and her appetite for destruction.