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Jun 23, 2023 · Tapping a rich emotional vein with its splendid animation and thoughtful allegory, Nimona is a deeply lovable animated adventure. Read Critics Reviews. Nimona 's emotional story and important...
Jun 30, 2023 · A mixed review of the animated sci-fi fantasy film Nimona, based on a graphic novel. The reviewer criticizes the characters' lack of depth and the movie's overstuffed plot, but praises the animation and the music.
- A sweet and funny science-fantasy film that boldly fights the monster of intolerance.
- What is your favorite Netflix animated film?
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- Verdict
By Samantha Nelson
Posted: Jun 14, 2023 6:00 pm
Premiering during a Pride Month where LGBTQ+ rights are under attack across the United States and elsewhere, Nimona is a funny, beautiful, and powerful tale of the fight for acceptance in a world dominated by fear. The tale of a shapeshifter viewed as a monster teaming up with a would-be hero everyone thinks is a villain cleverly critiques traditional fairytale concepts to build a rich world and story where whimsical action and goofy jokes pave the way for heavier emotional themes.
The story (adapted from ND Stevenson’s Eisner Award-winning webcomic) takes place in a science-fantasy realm where knights in shining armor train to fight monsters and protect their people using flying cars and wall-mounted laser cannons. Fusing genres provides room for both creative visuals with the same tongue-in-cheek sensibility as Shrek while also making a sharp political point about questioning hierarchy and the motives of those in power. The futuristic medieval setting feels so rich that even though this film covers all of the events in Stevenson’s comics it wouldn’t be surprising if Netflix pushed for an entirely original sequel.
This is a twisted fairy tale, sharply taking aim at the post-9/11 surveillance state. A scene where a “monster alert” broadcasts across every screen while fully armored knights march through the streets assuring everyone they should just go about their business and remain calm cleverly uses the novel setting to evoke the paranoia of the early 2000s, specifically the color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System George W. Bush’s administration launched to tell the country exactly how afraid to be at any given time.
This is a twisted fairy tale, sharply taking aim at the post-9/11 surveillance state.
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From cereal commercials to VR games, Nimona is constantly confronted with messages about how terrible monsters are and how much the knights who fight them should be idolized. She confronts most of this media with plucky charm as she maniacally wrecks just about everything in her path, but that humor and confidence makes the scenes when the psychological blows truly hit home even more emotionally devastating.
In an echo of Mystique’s point in X2: X-Men United, where she says that she doesn’t use her shapeshifting to pass as human because she shouldn’t have to, Nimona explains that if she didn’t shapeshift she wouldn’t die but she “sure wouldn’t be living.” Nimona is certainly living life to the fullest in the many running action sequences where she rapidly changes forms between gorilla, rhino, and even whale, setting up a great mix of sight gags and jokes. But a particularly heartbreaking sequence where Nimona tries to make friends with another young girl, the movie draws attention to the fact that the line between magical and monstrous really depends on who’s telling the story.
Nimona makes excellent use of music throughout, from a triumphant version of Metric’s “Gold Guns Girls” that plays as Ballister tries to sway public opinion with a social media campaign, to the haunting orchestral music found in the final battle. It’s also gorgeously animated both in and out of action scenes, filled with little details that build on the fantasy police state setting and striking flourishes like the way Nimona’s eyes glow to reveal her too-fangy smile.
There have been plenty of kids’ movies about the importance of tolerance and the challenge of getting authority figures to confront their prejudices, from How to Train Your Dragon to Zootopia, and their ability to actually change the minds of viewers and make the world more inclusive is admittedly limited. But Nimona’s message is that sometimes all it takes to make a difference is for one person to stop thinking of you as a monster, and hopefully that will help at least a few queer kids and their friends navigate some very scary times.
In adapting ND Stephenson’s revered webcomic to animation, Netflix makes Nimona’s queer content more overt as it tells a tender and bold tale about challenging institutions, being a good ally, and the need to live as your true self. It’s a beautifully animated film that never loses sight of its goals as it seamlessly blends goofy humor and action, ...
Jun 30, 2023 · Nimona review: This energetic fantasy film is a powerful queer story. Riz Ahmed and Chloë Grace Moretz star as the voices of a wrongfully outcast knight and his shape-shifting sidekick in this ...
Jun 30, 2023 · Join Nimona, a shapeshifter with a knack for trouble, and Sir Ballister, a rogue knight with a noble mission, in this queer fantasy adventure.
- belen.edwards@mashable.com
- 8 min
- Entertainment Reporter
- Belen Edwards
Jun 29, 2023 · ‘Nimona’ Review: Fright the Power. A zingy, chintzy, idea-driven animated feature based on the ND Stevenson comic. Share full article. Chloë Grace Moretz provides the voice of the title...
