Shadows on the Wall

Nimona

dir Nick Bruno, Troy Quane
scr Robert L Baird, Lloyd Taylor
prd Karen Ryan, Julie Zackary, Roy Lee
voices Chloe Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, Frances Conroy, Lorraine Toussaint, Beck Bennett, Indya Moore, RuPaul Charles, Julio Torres, Sarah Sherman, Mia Collins, ND Stevenson
release US/UK 30.Jun.23
23/US Annapurna 1h41

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Set in a futuristic world of knights and magical creatures, this big-hearted animated adventure has a distinctively crisp visual style and brightly witty tone. While some of the comical touches make the film feel rather frenetic, the wackiness is underpinned by strong emotional resonance. This creates a somewhat uneven tone, veering from broad comedy to dark drama. And the important thematic issues sometimes feel a bit over-pointed.

Facing harsh bigotry, Ballister (Ahmed) is the first commoner to be knighted, emerging through sheer determination and skill to impress both the Director (Conroy) and the Queen (Toussaint). Then he is framed for a violent crime and forced to go into hiding. One day he's visited by cheeky shapeshifting teen Nimona (Moretz), who is hoping to become a villain's sidekick. When she sees his innocence she agrees to help him clear his name. But convincing Ballister's boyfriend, the golden-boy knight Ambrosius (Yang), won't be as easy, since the entire kingdom is out to get them.

Riotously energetic, the movie barrels ahead full speed through a number of narrative twists and turns, including several sudden action set-pieces. As a descendant of the kingdom's founder, Ambrosius is anointed to lead the hunt for Ballister, so both are conflicted about what kind of loyalty still exists between them. Ballister is also confused that he has been so vilified by the people he trusted. And a flashback reveals Nimona's own childhood heartbreak at being labeled a monster and rejected by her best friend.

Characters are vivid, dealing with prejudice that's been passed down through the generations. Each has a nuanced complexity that transcends the stereotype. Nimona is a hyperactive kid who agrees to assist Ballister mainly because she's bored. But she also identifies with how Ballister is hated by everyone. Annoyed by Ballister's "small-minded" questions about what she is, she insists that she's simply Nimona. The bigger question is whether she's the legendary monster the knights have sworn an oath to destroy.

When Ballister resigns himself saying, "No matter what we do, we can't change the way people see us," Nimona replies, "But you changed the way you see me." This is a profound exploration of how attitudes can and must evolve, how dangerous it is to be bound by misguided prejudices and how transformative it is to be fully seen for who you are. These weighty themes ultimately emerge as the main point of the film, leaving the silliness behind, which feels a little jarring.

themes, violence 26.Jun.23

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