Nimona (PG)

Dir: Nick Bruno, Troy Quane

A disgraced knight and an outcast shapeshifter join forces in this stunning LGBTQ+ friendly animation from Netflix.

The latest animated release from Netflix has had a long and troubled production. ‘Nimona’ is based on a 2015 graphic novel of the same name by ND Stevenson, and in 2015 the rights to the film adaptation were acquired by 20th Century Fox. Fox were to produce the film through Blue Sky Studios, who are best known for the Ice Age franchise. Skip forward a few years and Fox, as well as Blue Sky, is owned by Disney and production of the film has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, Disney decided to shut down Blue Sky, which would ultimately see the film cancelled.

Disney was then faced with controversy after the company and several of it’s spokespeople were advocates of anti- LGBTQ+ bills that were passed in the United States. With ND Stevenson being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the central themes of the comic raising awareness, he was devastated that Disney cancelled the film due to its themes and portrayal of a same sex kiss. Much to his relief, Annapurna Pictures acquired the rights and announced the film will be the first release of their new animation division, and that it was to be released on Netflix in 2023. After eight years of production hell, it will be a relief to all involved that it was worth the wait.

Set in a techno-medieval future, ‘Nimona’ tells the story of Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight for the ‘Institution’, who are government controlled organisation, not unlike George Orwell’s fictional ‘Big Brother‘. Ballister has been conditioned to defend the realm from any monsters and dangers that may be lurking beyond the city walls. In order to defend the realm, our hero is to be knighted by the queen, which is publicly scrutinised. Ballister has dark skin and is seen as a ‘commoner’, where as the other knights of the realm, are white and descendants of the royal blood line. After an unexpected turn of events, the queen is killed and all fingers immediately point at Ballister. With nowhere to turn, not even to his fellow knight and boyfriend Ambrosius (Eugene Lee Yang), he flees into the night.

Whilst in hiding, Ballister is visited by the titular Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), a teenage shapeshifter who has faced persecution for her powers. Nimona sees a villainous spirit in Ballister, and wishes to take revenge on the city as his evil sidekick. Ballister however, convinces Nimona he is innocent and the two set off to find out the true culprit behind the queen’s murder.

With this adaptation of the source material, which I am not familiar with, directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane capture the offbeat and irreverent spirit of the two main characters and the fantastical world they occupy. The animation is stunning, it is a hybrid of hand drawn and computer generated animation, which gives it a modern style but with a homage to comic books and anime. This is amplified with the films twist on the standard colour template of animated or fantasy films. Unlike tradition, Ballister and Nimona are coated in black and red hues, usually typical of the more villainous characters. This is opposed to the glimmering white and golds of the ‘Institute’ and their corrupted knights.

While under Disney ownership, the film was pushed back from those in charge who wanted the LGBTQ+ themes toned down. Screenwriters Robert L. Baird and Lloyd Taylor however, sculpt a believable friction between it’s central gay characters – Ballister and Ambrosius. This is not the only LGBTQ theme present throughout the film, as we gradually see Ballister accept Nimona for the shapeshifter she is. Nimona feels repressed as a human girl and feels happier and more free whenever she shifts into another animal or mythical creature, a clear allegory for trans acceptance. These themes and characters are seamlessly brought to life by the vocal performances of Riz Ahmed and Chloë Grace Moretz. They truly capture the spirit of the two lead characters and deliver the more comedic lines with perfect comic timing.

Despite the films great depiction of it’s central LGBTQ themes, the actually story is not overly original and rather predictable. It owes a great debt to family fantasy films that have come before it, most notably Shrek. There are also familiar plot points to the very recent Dungeons & Dragons starring Chris Pine.

Despite a lack of originality, Nimona still delivers an engaging, poignant and often funny tale of trans-acceptance. Disney may have disregarded this film, but it is head and shoulders above their recent releases of Lightyear and Strange World in its depiction of LGBTQ characters. Unlike the aforementioned Disney releases from last year, ‘Nimona’ actually does something meaningful with these characters and represent them in a more natural and respectful way.

Nimona is available to stream on Netflix