Nimona is filled with deep life lessons that are important for viewers of all ages to see on screen. It’s hilarious, emotional, and a must see.
Nimona is unafraid to dive head first into heavy themes of depression, self harm, and feeling like an outsider — and that is only one of the reasons it is one of the best films of the year. This movie is something that families around the world will be able to enjoy together. They will laugh, cry, and then be able to sit down and have real conversations about unapologetically embracing who you are. You should never be ashamed to be yourself, and that is something this movie showcases in a truly beautiful way.
In Nimona a knight is framed for a crime he didn’t commit. The only person who can help him prove his innocence is Nimona, a shape-shifting teen who might also be a monster he’s sworn to kill. Things get messy, as you can expect, but the journey is fun and heartwarming too.
Important Lessons For Viewers Of All Ages
People make mistakes. We are human and these things happen. The thing is, they should have the opportunity to make up for them. Sometimes people are blamed for things they did not do, or are treated poorly just because they are different. Unfortunately this is all too real in the world today, and so themes that discuss this is important for kids, and families, to take in. Heck, I know a lot of adults that could learn a thing or two about treating others with respect… but I digress.
Nimona says it best at one point, “Once they see you as a villain, they will never see you as anything else.” This is a great conversation starter, especially considering how this comes into play later in the film. Something that I will not talk about in order to remain spoiler free, but once you see the movie you will know exactly what I am talking about. It is absolutely heart-wrenching.
It’s Really Funny, Too
Nimona isn’t just about being different, however. While some themes certainly walk the dark side, this film is a lot of fun as well. It is absolutely hilarious. Chloë Grace Moretz is the perfect choice to voice Nimona. She does a wonderful job letting the audience in and allowing us to love this character, flaws and all.
We get to see several sides of this character and by the second act, viewers will be head over heels in love with her. When the time comes that we see things from Nimona’s point of view… I just hope you have tissues handy.
Even during the great action scenes there are moments that will have the whole family laughing out loud. Things get crazy — what else did you expect with a character that can change shape? Things get interesting to say the least.
There is some humor for adults weaved in here, but don’t worry, it will fly right over the little one’s heads. The humor helps to keep the pacing moving along, and almost never stops. Yes, there are a lot of serious moments as well, but more often than not they are broken up by comedic relief.
Trust me when I tell you that you and your family will be quoting Nimona all the time after watching. I know my family is.
Brilliant Writing
As if heart and humor aren’t enough, Nimona solidifies itself as a triple threat with a fantastic screenplay. Once again, there is a lot of comedy here, as well as emotion. The writing is brilliant. Thankfully there is some truly incredible source material to build off of.
The graphic novel by N.D. Stevenson is the bones of the film, but the story is expanded here. It goes deeper, it is more intense, and it truly something special to see it on the screen. All I can say is have tissues ready and hold your loved ones tight. Get ready to let them know you see them for who they are, and love them for who they are, because by the time the credits roll you will be wanting to shout that from the rooftops.
Overall Thoughts
Nimona is a lot of things. It is heartbreaking, touching, hilarious, emotional, visually stunning, and incredibly well voice acted. It is easily one of the best movies of the entire year. This film is sure to touch viewers of all ages. Yes, it is made for the outsiders. Those that feel they are up against the world. But at the same time, there are lessons here for everyone.
For those that are scared of people who are different, I hope you fall in love with Nimona and realize how deeply your actions can effect others. Maybe next time you will embrace them for who they are, instead of pushing them away just because they don’t look like you do.
P.S. The soundtrack is pretty metal, too.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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About Nimona
A Knight (Riz Ahmed) is framed for a crime he didn’t commit and the only person who can help him prove his innocence is Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), a shape-shifting teen who might also be a monster he’s sworn to kill. Set in a techno-medieval world unlike anything animation has tackled before, this is a story about the labels we assign to people and the shapeshifter who refuses to be defined by anyone.
