Troll Hunter (2011) - André Øvredal

Synopsis:

A group of college students trying to get an interview with a notorious illegal 'bear' hunter, find themselves on the hunt for something much MUCH bigger!

“TROLL!!!” - After seeing this line shouted out as part of the DVD menu screen, I had a feeling this was going to be brilliant! It certainly didn't disappoint. This is a beautifully paced film with an almost perfect balance of action and story development. The scenes where trolls are encountered are brutally effective. Trust me, being an animation student I've seen my fair share of shoddy CGI (even in a lot of the blockbusters today) and this was the farthest from. It was in a class of its own. The found footage hand-held cam style lends itself perfectly here with the claustrophobic locations and night vision, really getting into the thick of things and completely submerging you in the action. Unfortunately some of the longer shots could have used some work, but then the standard rises again and you find yourself completely forgiving of the minor lapse.

While I'm being critical, which is hard to do, I've got a bone to pick with the character development. Not the on screen guys however, but the camera operators. This is exactly what they seem to be, camera operators, nothing more. I mean they get a bit of screen time and various single lines, but I don't really feel that connected. In the final climax I even forgot there was a person using the camera! With that said, the rest of the cast do the job, particularly Mr. Troll Hunter, Hans, he's rad. I just felt to be honest that the characters behind the camera could of actually been more interesting than the main boy and girl protagonists but instead they ended up as kind of an afterthought.

Back to the positives though! As seen above, very important for me is the depth of the characters, and we all know who the main characters here are... the TROLLS!! I love a good bit of back story and mythology, and while our heroes are scouring the unbelievably picturesque landscapes of Norway, we get tons of information: we learn about different types, their diet, longevity, habitats, their relation to fairy tales and so on. This lets you build a brilliant understanding of the beasts. In hindsight I realise that you very rarely see the trolls. Proof here, once again, that all the best monster movies don't have to parade their creature on a plate for it to be exciting. Tension is built in the waiting and the money shots pay off in full.

On a random note... I found out you can text loved ones during the film, despite needing to read the subtitles (unless of course you can speak Norwegian). Because it takes a little bit longer to say things in Norwegian, you can read it a little faster and then quickly send a text without missing any important information or impeccably composed shots. Just sayin'.

Overview:

I don't understand the flack that Found-Footage films get. They're often berated by critics, ever since Cloverfield. I on the other hand, freaking love them! A popular, engaging genre at which Troll Hunter sits very close to the top with a captivating mythos, beautiful scenery and of course... TROLLS!!!!!

Rating:

★★★★