…………………………………………………

Trollhunter Movie Review

Trollhunter is a 2010 dark fantasy film directed by Andre Ovredal and starring Otto Jespersen. It’s such a good, very entertaining flick.

………………………………………………….

“Troll!“

…………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………..

Three students embark on a journey to investigate the mysterious killing of bears in Norway. They decide to unify with the hunter in charge of the case, only to realize he is a troll hunter. The movie presents a very interesting mixture of some definite blockbuster trappings, the found footage style in particular, and very traditional Norwegian elements, such as troll fairy tales and legends. The mix is weird, but it works more often than not.

Simply following the trolls was immensely entertaining and adventurous. The movie is not a horror film, not by a long shot. Some scenes try to make audiences scared, but most of the movie definitely was on the comedic instead of horrific side, and to me that was a brilliant choice as trolls should be funny when you really think about them as they were described originally.

And they are incredibly amusing here. Their designs were superb, especially the funny faces. I also adored the distinctions made between all the different troll species and subspecies as that made the viewing experience richer and well thought out. The mythology behind this movie is truly amazing as are the various references in literature and art. Thus, I loved the Norwegian elements more than I liked the American ones.

…………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………..

Let’s talk about those American elements. This has to be one of the best found footage movies of all time, although understandably the competition in this particular subgenre is far from fierce. This movie makes pretty good use of the format, and especially in the first encounters with the trolls, we got to see it very well utilized as the camera movements were exciting and suspenseful.

However, as is the case with all of these found footage flicks, Trollhunter also was hurt by the cheap technical aspects. Yes, some of the imagery here is truly fantastic and the harsh Norwegian landscapes are very well shot. But, one could only hope while watching the movie that we get to see more wide shots of the cool landscapes and the trolls themselves. Whenever you make a movie on such a shoestring budget, gone is the artistry, which is unfortunate.

Let’s talk about the characters and the actors playing them. I really liked the students as a whole. Individually, they aren’t all that great, but as a team, their dynamics were great and they actually worked for me. Each one of them was also well performed by these talented actors. But the standout is clearly Hans the Trollhunter played so fabulously by the famous Norwegian comedian Otto Jespersen. This rugged man hunter is by far the most memorable, striking personality of the entire movie and every scene of his was pure comedic gold.

…………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………..

Trollhunter is a hugely entertaining movie that is briskly paced and just fun throughout. The buildup was great and the conclusion was also pretty good, though the mid section remains the greatest part of this movie and the most imaginative one. The direction is so good and the dialogue is quite memorable at times. I only wish the movie was scarier, but the VFX were outstanding, especially for such a small budget.

Although lying more on the comedic than on the horror side of things, Trollhunter is such a successful, wildly entertaining mix of traditional American elements such as found footage and the traditional Norwegian elements such as troll art and fairy tales. The movie’s dialogue, humor and VFX are all very strong whereas the very imaginative mid section is the greatest part of this fun flick.

My Rating – 4