NEW to Netflix, Nimona is a computer-animated fantasy adventure, with elements of comedy thrown in for good measure, directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane.
This is a futuristic medieval tale about Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight framed for a crime he didn’t commit. And as it turns out, the only one who can clear his name and prove his innocence is Nimona (Chloe Grace Moretz), an ill-behaved teenager with a voracious appetite for destruction.
The mischievous miscreant is also a shapeshifting creature that the knights of the realm have been trained to slay.
Nimona is considered a monster, and mortal enemy of the kingdom, but she is Ballister’s only real hope of redemption, despite their gargantuan differences.
Tired of being alone and treated as an outcast for centuries, Nimona longs to fit in, and most of all, for a friend to call her own. The fiery adolescent vows to clear Ballister’s name on the condition that he makes her his sidekick.
At first, Nimona’s shapeshifting tendencies are all too much for the gentle-hearted knight but soon a bond is formed and he learns to overlook her larger than life characteristics as she wreaks havoc all around her. The lines between hero, villain and monster start to blur, and together they fight for justice and the chance to rewrite their world’s history books.
On paper, it all sounds fairly clichéd and about as original as an Irish Eurovision entry, but sure, we’ve seen such tales of belonging before, but Nimona is energetic and imaginative enough to keep us engaged for its 90-minute duration, while also giving us a little sprinkling of something quite original.
With a gallant love story at its centre, and a strong message about diversity and acceptance, Nimona is a rip-roaring romp with an equally powerful message.
This one proves a fierce ‘Monster Mash’ that booms with real pride.
(3/5)
