Troll is a 2022 Norwegian monster film directed by Roar Uthaug. Starring Ine Marie Wilmann, Kim Falck, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen, Gard B. Eidsvold, Pål Richard Lunderby, and Eric Vorenholt, it follows a ragtag group of people who must come together to stop an ancient troll that was awakened in a Norwegian mountain and prevent it from wreaking havoc.
Troll is your typical monster movie. You’ve seen it all before in all the various iterations of the King Kong or Godzilla movies. The monster is brought into contact with humans due to the latter’s interference with the forces of nature. The monster is not evil per se, he is merely defending itself in the face of the human attacks. In fact, the monster is likeable and audiences will be able to identify with the creature somewhat. But in the end, of course, it never ends well for the monster, inevitably.
That in a nutshell sums up the premise of Troll. Only distinction here is that this monster is based on Norwegian ancient folk tales of trolls and that fact alone makes it difficult for anyone in authority initially to take the concept of the monster seriously. Protagonist Nora Tidemann is brought in as an expert but ultimately it is her father Tobias who is aware of the truth behind the trolls. Two other allies viz. Andreas Isaksen (adviser to the Prime Minister) and Captain Holm, military commander.
The movie is generally good fun if somewhat stereotypical. The action sequences are very family friendly with hardly any blood and gore. The aim of the production is to approach this as a fairy tale that appeals to all ages. The special effects are competent and the action is entertaining enough. In addition, there quite a few self-aware pop culture references that are hilarious!
However, as usual, the weak third act leaves a bad taste in the mouth. By all accounts, there might be sequels following this and that may not be a good idea as the movie ran out of ideas at the end. In the final analysis, Troll is an enjoyable streamer. Recommended.
Watch now on Netflix.
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