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.
Here's hoping for a sequel!
VERDICT: LOVED IT!
No comments:
Post a Comment