Summary
- Nimona's storytelling and twists make it one of the best fantasy movies in recent years.
- Nimona's heartwarming friendship and futuristic aesthetic set it apart.
- Despite critical acclaim and awards, Nimona was overlooked due to its limited release.
I wish that the 2023 fantasy film Nimona's cast of complex characters kept me engaged the entire time as it spun the story of a wrongly vilified knight and the strange child he befriends as he tries to clear his name. Though it does have a fairytale feel, the story itself has a futuristic aesthetic that somehow works with its timeless themes and wildly different characters.
Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Ballister's (Riz Ahmed) friendship was heartwarming and hilarious, making each moment both tense and filled to the brim with comedic gold. Nimona's heartbreaking movie ending left me in actual tears but was still so satisfying, much like the classic stories it shares tropes with. All of these factors made Nimona, in both my mind and audience's minds, one of the best fantasy movies to come out in recent years, with even more reasons arriving once you dig into it.
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2023's Nimona Is One Of The Best Fantasy Movies To Come Out In Recent Years
Nimona's Sharp Storytelling And Twists Allowed It To Stand Out
Nimona's storytelling and ability to circumvent expectations is one of many reasons why it was one of the best fantasy movies in 2023 to me. From the moment the Queen was killed in Nimona, the story was able to keep me on my toes despite its clear fairytale beats. Ballister's search for truth, Ambrosicus's (Eugene Lee Yang) struggles, and Nimona's own journey made the story feel fresh. This was especially true as each new twist was revealed about both the Queen's death and the terrible monster the knights were trained to guard against.
Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes for the film not only praise that storytelling, but the many other factors that really made Nimona unique. Critic reviews praised the way the story easily intertwined its themes with the quick pacing, which was aided by the performances of the cast. Audience reviews, meanwhile, focused on its animation style, which elevated the worldbuilding and added several fun, futuristic twists to the traditional medieval knight and kingdom. However, despite the praise from audiences and critics, Nimona deserved a lot more attention than it received.
Nimona Deserved More Attention Than The Fantasy Movie Got
Nimona Needed More Attention Despite Its Many Awards And Nominations
Despite the fact that it was nominated for several prestigious awards, Nimona's limited release resulted in the film getting less attention than it deserved. Nimona's initial release was limited to a few select theaters, making it a largely Netflix-centric premiere. The film still received high praise despite its release plan, as it earned nominations from several associations, including the Academy Awards. Nimona also won several accolades, including the Columbus Film Critics Association award for Best Animated Film and the Annie Awards for Outstanding Achievement for Writing And Voice Acting In a Feature Production.
It played with expectation and a fascinating trend in fantasy, demonstrating how the label of hero or villain is ultimately based on perception.
That being said, its limited release to me really cut off the impact this film could have had. Nimona had great non-binary and gender-nonconforming representation and seamlessly wove it into its classic fairytale base, taking these narratives into the modern era. It played with expectation and a fascinating trend in fantasy, demonstrating how the label of hero or villain is ultimately based on perception. That is why Nimona deserves more attention: it not only told a tale as old as time, but dared to rewrite its happily ever after.
Nimona is a film adaptation of ND Stevenson's graphic novel of the same name. Chloë Grace Moretz voices the main character Nimona, a shapeshifter who is being hunted by a former knight named Ballister Blackheart (Riz Ahmed). But things become complicated when Blackheart realizes Nimona may actually be able to help him after he's unjustly accused of a crime.
- Writers
- Robert L. Baird, Lloyd Taylor, Pamela Ribon, Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Keith Bunin, Marc Haimes
- Distributor(s)
- Netflix
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