Trollhunter
Rating: 3 stars out of 5.
Notice: No spoilers beyond basic expository information.
Overview: In a genre often accused of repeating itself, Trollhunter provides an awesome and much-welcome counterpoint. It's more clever than it is frightful, but it's an exciting ride.
Trollhunter is easily one of the most critically-applauded found footage films of recent years. And the praise is relatively well deserved, Trollhunter takes a genre with a strong temptation to remain formulaic, and ventures beyond in both subject matter and style. Hunting giant trolls is a subject perfectly suited to Norway's mythological heritage, and it's rare that a found footage film (particularly one with good production values), succeeds in being funny.
It starts with a group of kids following a mysterious bear poacher, but they soon learn there's more to his story. Over the course of the film, this veteran Trollhunter shows the kids the ropes of his secret trade. He details the natural characteristics of trolls (species variation, intelligence level, diet, habitation), strategies for taking them down, and the governmet conspiracy to keep them under wraps. This gives the film an admirable mythos and sense of reality. But since the film is funny at least as often as it is serious, the attention to mythical detail seems a tad wasted. Even so, in-universe consistency is always appreciated. Even a goofy movie becomes less impressive when they lack a coherent base.
I can't say I love Trollhunter quite as much as many seem to, as comedic and tongue-in-cheek films aren't so much my fancy. Cheesy, trashy, zero-budget films, hell yes, but there's a fine line between that and films which are traditionally funny like Trollhunter. All in all Trollhunter has excellent production values, great creatures and a solid plot. It's an admirable addition to the found footage genre from the great nation of Norway, and one that I'm sure will still be viewed years from now.
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