I'm a bit of a ND Stevenson fan, having become aware of his work through the magnificent Lumberjanes graphic novel series. I purchased the hardback Nimona graphic novel way back in 2015 and loved the premise of a shape-shifting teen and her friendship with a vengeful knight. I loved the quirky characters and how Nimona was goofy yet incredibly forthright and aggressive when she needed to be. When I heard that the movie was being made I was ecstatic as Stevenson's work on She-Ra was exceptional and his characters felt well realised and, well, human with all the flaws and foibles that entailed. Over the course of 5 seasons, she showed character growth of She-Ra, the Princesses of Power as well as Catra… that was on top of writing some pretty epic storylines about multi-verses and such. It was a heady brew and Nimona seemed promising as this was a graphic novel which had heart and growth at its core.
When Blue Sky animation, who had been working on the animation for a couple of years, was shuttered by new owners Disney I was gutted as Nimona had apparently been nearly completed. However, praise be our Netflix overlords who stepped in and saved the film from being scrapped. So, was it worth the salvage?
The story is a familiar one, an outsider, (a Knight named Ballister Boldheart voiced by Riz Ahmed) achieves success through his hard work and merit but is deemed unworthy by many to become a knight of the realm due to his lineage as a commoner. He is framed for a crime he didn't commit and has to clear his name whilst hiding from the authorities. He bonds with another outcast, Nimona (voiced by Chloe Grace Moretz in an excellently nuanced performance) who has been hunted by all for her difference; she is a shapeshifter.
The two develop a friendship as she becomes his squire as they strive to clear his name.
The film is like one of those odd pair buddy movie where the characters are seemingly very different but through their adventures they realise that, actually, they are quite alike. The relationship between Ballister and Nimona is beautifully told, as he tries to understand his squire’s shape-shifting tendencies. After asking some small-minded questions. Nimona's reply of, "Honestly I feel worse when I don't do it (shape shift)... I shape shift and I'm free… if I didn't shape shift I just sure wouldn't be living," really resonated.
It's these interactions that make this a great character study as these two very different people, in the LGBTQ+ community, bond over being ostracised and different.
The whole film is stunningly animated, from the retro futuristic world, combining gleaming high-rises with turreted tops and giants screens, to the stylistically and expressive characters. Cosplay season is going to be busy with this show, I can tell ya, as the details on the clothes and accoutrements are a fans dream. I can’t wait to go to the next expo and see people dressed in this getup.
I loved the film and the message of being your authentic self, even when it is a challenge to be so. It also asks people to not listen to the prejudices of the older generation but actually think about the lived experiences you have had with people from the community or to use empathy to understand their struggles. The film builds on the graphic novel series and is a rallying cry for acceptance and tolerance of the LGBTQ+ community and I, for one, am here for it!
