Sometimes in life, it is VERY good to get kicked squarely in between the legs. It’s been two week. TWO! Almost not enough time to recover from the ball smashing, ass kicking I received from Detective Comics #879 (reviewed here!). But, here I am again, writing a review for Detective Comics #880.
Scott Snyder has hands down jumped to the forefront of my favorite writers. And I was honest with you two weeks ago, I haven’t really even read much from him. I believe this is just the fourth book and I’m amazed to no end. There are athletes out there, who have a Pete Rose syndrome and go all out for every game. Guy Lafleur (that’s a hockey player for the unknowing) once said “play every game as if it is your last” and to me Scott Snyder puts as much character and story into each book as if it is his last book. I love that.
And with one line, I giggled way too much and knew that Herc #5 was my favorite book of the week.
Fear itself has actually turned into a fun little event series running through the Marvel Universe. I always fear that universe spanning story lines will fall flat on its face, but when you have the right creators on books, they can take anything and spin it into a wonderfully woven tale of awesome sauce.
I like to think I like comics. Sometimes, however, I forget to try new things and new writers from time to time. As a regular Joe, I do not have an unlimited source of income that I can just buy everything and hope I like it. I have to be picky. I have to be deliberate. I have to make sure, that I don’t go over my budget each week. So, when creators move onto other titles, I tend to follow them. I’m a BIG fan of the Greg Pak/Fred Van Lente duo. I’m also a gigantic nerd for Dan Abnett/Andy Lanning duo. So, I will follow them around everywhere they go. I like them for different reasons. I think Pak/Van Lente duo deliver on action and comedy like it’s nobody’s business. And Abnett/Lanning delivers on Sci-Fi goodness that gives me a nerdgasm every time I read them.
I’m going to say this with all sincerity and not an ounce of snark or sarcasm. This comic is the reason why I read comics.
For the first time, in the Flash Point mini (minis) did I really read a story that felt like all bets were off and anything could go on this world. The whole point of Flashpoint is the butterfly effect of going back in time and see what would happen if… and of all the issues that has been published thus far, this one truly exemplifies what can be done with the perfect “What if” scenario. Even in the main Flashpoint series, nothing has made me go “OH SHIT!” and could not have been told in the modern DCU.
Before I share my thoughts on "Hobo with a Shotgun," let's get a little history out of the way first. Back in 2007, moviemakers Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino joined forces to deliver unto the world "Grindhouse," a double-feature of modern day tales told in a raw 70's exploitation style. "Grindhouse" was a love letter to the sorts of films that Rodriguez and Tarantino grew up loving, as well as the sleazy mom and pop theaters they saw them in. One of the unique elements of "Grindhouse" was its inclusion of fake trailers for other exploitation films of that era, made by a couple of today's hip young directors. While promoting "Grindhouse," Rodriguez created a competition for indy and amateur filmmakers to create their own fake trailers for 70's exploitation movies…the winner of which was, "Hobo with a Shotgun." I remember being blown away by how raw, gritty, hyper violent, and authentic looking it was…as if the reel had been unearthed from a time capsule buried in 1977. But don't take my word for it, have a look for yourself…
Let's get one thing straight right now: "Trollhunter" is an amazing film. There is absolutely no doubt about that. If you ever run across someone who happens to have an opinion about this particular film that is contrary to that initial statement…which is really more of a fact than anything…my recommendation is to deliver a swift slap across their face, and then leave them to wallow in their shame. I'd even go as far as to suggest un-friending them on Facebook, un-following them on Twitter, and un-inviting them to your Christmas dinner party, because they don't deserve to be in your life.
Yes, even if that person is your mother.
So now that we've thoroughly established that "Trollhunter" is an amazing film, let's now establish just what "Trollhunter" is all about. For one, it's presented in an expertly done documentary format. This means you're going to get a lot of weird camera angles as people flee from giant unseen things in the woods, but it's okay, because you'll eventually get to see some really cool shots of said things later on, which will utterly blow your mind. Actually, where many (if not most) filmmakers would employ the documentary style to a film dealing with supernaturalish subjects so they can imply damn near everything with smoke and mirrors (a la "The Blair Witch Project" or "Paranormal Activity") "Trollhunter" almost dares itself to train the camera on the trolls as much as it can, defying the faux-documentary filmmaking tradition.
The film begins with reports of bear poaching in the Norwegian countryside. A trio of filmmakers/college students band together to investigate the matter. Their efforts eventually lead them to a mysterious, and stinky fellow named Hans (Otto Jespersen), who wants little to do with them. Refusing to leave, the students follow Hans deep into the woods and discover something they thought only to be found in fairy tales: Trolls…do…exist!
The rest of the film is spent getting to know Hans, what he does for the secret government agency known as the TST (Troll Security Service), learning about the different types of trolls including types, how they die, how long they live, and so on. Some of the best stuff is when Hans is giving his reasons for eventually allowing the students to follow him basically citing how the pay sucks, he gets no overtime, and it's just a grueling thankless job altogether. Shit, I can relate to that!
The more the students learn about the trolls, the more serious they become about wanting to get the story. And after they find themselves backed into a corner where the dangers of troll hunting become very real (and costly), it becomes less about getting the story and more about fulfilling a personal mission.
Filled with great special effects, performances, and expert camerawork, "Trollhunter" is a genuine thrill ride that will only disappoint you in that it had to end. I walked away from the film feeling like I could have spent another couple of hours riding along with Hans, learning more of his history as a troll hunter, and more of the secrets the TST is trying to cover up.
