Nimona Parent Guide

In a futuristic medieval world, commoner Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) is set to become the first non-noble to be named a knight of the realm. But when his knighting ceremony goes disastrously wrong, Bal has to flee into the forests beyond the kingdom wall. While there, he meets Nimona (Chloe Grace Moretz), a mysterious young girl with a penchant for vengeance and the ability to shape shift. Together, Bal and Nimona set out to clear Bal’s name and save the kingdom, all while avoiding a taskforce of knights, led by Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang).

In a world of generic, boring animated features I am so happy when a studio takes a chance on something different. Nimona is beautifully animated, with fantastic character design, stunning backdrops, and energetic action sequences. The world itself is also amazing, offering a combination of futuristic sci-fi and medieval elements that create something wholly original. On the art style alone, I would recommend this movie. Luckily, it has even more to offer than that.

The story of Nimona is more layered than I expected going into it. There are some obvious themes around prejudice, but what I didn’t expect were messages about how we shape our identities based on the labels placed on us by others, and a commentary on police states and propaganda. The plot itself is relatively simple, which is beneficial for the intended audience, but the deeper themes make it interesting to viewers of all ages. The characters are also multi-layered, which makes them relatable and interesting.

Parents should be aware that there is some fantasy violence throughout the film, though there is no blood. It is on par with most animated family films, though I think the stylized animation helps keep the scariness level low. Other than that, there isn’t much negative content to speak of, making this a great choice for most family audiences. (There is a kiss between two male characters; whether or not you see that as a plus depends on your views on sexuality and diversity.) With stunning animation, a well-written story, and dimensional characters, Nimona is one of the best animated features to come out of Netflix this year.