Trollhunter (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Tired of P

  
  Directed (and written) by Andre Ovredal, Filmameratena A/S, 2010. Otto Jespersen, Glenn Erland Tosterud, Robert Stoltenberg, and Johanna Morck. Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery. Question: Do you believe in trolls? Yes, that is my question for this review! Well, if you… More
  Directed (and written) by Andre Ovredal, Filmameratena A/S, 2010. Otto Jespersen, Glenn Erland Tosterud, Robert Stoltenberg, and Johanna Morck. Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery. Question: Do you believe in trolls? Yes, that is my question for this review! Well, if you don't, you might believe in them after you see this "movie". It's been a while since I've seen a movie. I can't really say why that is but this morning I decided to watch something that a friend asked me to review a few weeks ago. Actually, I joined a website last night and someone else mentioned it so I kind of thought - 'It's Sunday; I haven't seen a movie in over a week. Why not Trollhunter?' Yes, I am serious. Alright, I am not sure how to describe this film and I really don't want to try. You should just see it for yourself. However, I will mention that it is a foreign film from Norway. So, there are subtitles. For the slow reader that I am, I didn't have any difficulty staying in time with this story. What a relief. I actually had to wear headphones because my laptop's speakers weren't loud enough, and I wanted to make sure I heard all the sound even though I couldn't understand a word they were saying. And the sound was pretty important to this film. Well, I found it fascinating at least. Trollhunter is exactly is what this movie is about - a troll hunter named Hans. A small group of students wanted to film an alleged bear poacher that received a lot of media attention. However, when the students meet Hans, they join him on his "hunt" and stumble upon an adventure they never would have imagined. The story was not scary which was my first thought when my friend mentioned the title to me. It is in fact a satire - again, I how interpreted. If you want to learn everything about trolls and their existence, then watch this movie. If you like watching documentaries, then Trollhunter is for you. If you want to giggle from time to time, then this is your flick. And last but not least, if you want to know how to kill trolls then by all means watch this movie - it is imperative. I found it on Netflix instant queue so if this sounds like it is right up your alley - go to Netflix right now! The "acting" and the "story" were pretty good but I kept noticing (and it could have been just me) there were correlations to Jaws that had me grinning.(Even though Jaws scared me for life I have seen it a few times and can't forget any of it - ever.) Let's just say Hans has this one scene that reminded me of the speech Quint gives while they are in the boat. The other movie this reminded me of was The Blair Witch Project. That's all I am going to say about that. Seeing the countryside of Norway was a treat as the troll hunter and the students were on their adventure, so for those of you who like to travel this might be a treat for you as well. It was breathtaking in parts especially when there weren't any ugly creatures taking the focus off the scenery. Now, if you are easily offended or someone who is particularly religious, specifically Christian, you might not be a fan of Trollhunter. You must have a sense of humor to enjoy Trollhunter and I promise this one was a fun one if you do. It was just what I needed to escape reality for a couple hours. My favorite part: That something actually made me smile and giggle today. My least favorite part: A few scenes had me gagging a bit. Review: PG-13 Length: 103 minutes Rating: 7 out of 10

• Emily A

  
  I'm going to go ahead and say it: this is the best monster movie I have ever seen. The reason it works so well is because the filmmakers have done all their homework: they've researched their mythology, they've built their world and really hashed out, in detail, all its… More
  I'm going to go ahead and say it: this is the best monster movie I have ever seen. The reason it works so well is because the filmmakers have done all their homework: they've researched their mythology, they've built their world and really hashed out, in detail, all its rules. It's ingenious. Trolls! I wish I had thought of it. It's a really novel concept for a movie monster, and I loved watching Hans give the three students a tour of his job and his world. This flick is so funny and real and natural. I wish I had turned it on, not even knowing the title or the premise. "C'mere, mum. Wanna watch a documentary with me? It's a student film about bear poaching in Norway."

• Anthony L

  
  Even though this film is a bit like a mixture of Blair Witch Project, Where the Wild things are, Jurassic Park and Rare exports, it also feels pretty unique. There are plenty of monster films about these days as there are mockumentaries, what the makers of this film have managed to… More
  Even though this film is a bit like a mixture of Blair Witch Project, Where the Wild things are, Jurassic Park and Rare exports, it also feels pretty unique. There are plenty of monster films about these days as there are mockumentaries, what the makers of this film have managed to achieve brilliantly though is the perfect balance of scares and humour. The Trolls themselves look appropriately authentic to Norwegian folk tale and the final scene is as big and impressive as you'd expect from a monster film which I found have all been a let down in recent years. It's not too often these days that a film is as good as you'd hoped, especially with such a different idea. Brilliant!

• Randy T

  
  It's <i>The Blair Witch Project</i> meets <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i>. Sit back, relax and have some fun.

• paul o

  
  A fun delight! Its absurd and awesome!

• Shawn E

  
  The first-person shaky camera technique is a little overdone, but still works well for the film. I wish the trolls were more believable, and the film took a stronger plot direction. I think the bits of comedy actually hurt the film, and I would prefer the film to be more serious with… More
  The first-person shaky camera technique is a little overdone, but still works well for the film. I wish the trolls were more believable, and the film took a stronger plot direction. I think the bits of comedy actually hurt the film, and I would prefer the film to be more serious with these gigantic deadly predators.

• Mark W

  
  First person shakey camera films have become an ideal way for budding filmmakers to make a name for themselves. To name a couple, "The Blair Witch Project" became a horror phenomenon in 1999 and "Paranormal Activity" has now become a horror franchise with… More
  First person shakey camera films have become an ideal way for budding filmmakers to make a name for themselves. To name a couple, "The Blair Witch Project" became a horror phenomenon in 1999 and "Paranormal Activity" has now become a horror franchise with consistantly reliant numbers at the box office. This time the Norwegians have a go with a competently handled mythological take on the sub-genre. Student filmmakers Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud) and Johanna (Johanna Morch) set out to shoot a documentary about bear-hunting in Norway and trail mysterious, well-armed woodsman Hans (Otto Jesperson), whom they assume is a poacher. However, Hans turns out to be a government-sanctioned operative protecting the country from the ravages of giant trolls. Tired of secret heroism, the Troll Hunter lets the crew film his battles with monsters at great risk to themselves. For budgetary reasons, films of this type keep the main attraction to a minimum. However, where the aforementioned movies relied predominantly on the human drama and reactions, this also happens to deliver the special effects when it matters. The trolls are impressively done. The effects provide more than enough to leave you happy with the technical achievements but also maintain a sense of wonder. The performances are also solid and natural which help in suspending disbelief. But like most films of this type, there is too much talking and not enough action. When the action is delivered though, the confrontations with the creatures are filmed with impressive tension and excitement. The mythological angle is also a refreshing one and it's encouraging to see the Scandanavians reclaim their folklore. Yet another foreign language film that's due for an American remake and you can see why. The budget may be low but the film is still of a high standard.

• Cynthia S

  
  Give me a break! How could so many people like this ridiculous movie? If there were better imagined Trolls, maybe I would have liked it...but...they just looked retarded to me.

• Unknown H

  
  I wanted to love this movie and I wasn't disappointed! Falling into a few of the handheld camera pitfalls of many other movies of its classification, Troll Hunter delivered in more ways than one, linking classic Nordic mythology together with real time video tapes that if we as… More
  I wanted to love this movie and I wasn't disappointed! Falling into a few of the handheld camera pitfalls of many other movies of its classification, Troll Hunter delivered in more ways than one, linking classic Nordic mythology together with real time video tapes that if we as an audience didn't know better, would have been very convincing indeed. Hats off to Ovredal for giving the audience a truly original take on a very tired method of film making. There was a lot of running with the camera, darkened woods and shouting in Norwegian, but if you have the patience to look past the obvious ploys to make the footage seem real, and have a talent for reading quite obscure but at times hilarious subtitles, this movie will surely not dissapoint.

• Lewis C

  
  Ever want to like a movie more than you actually do? Trollhunter is a recent example of that kind of movie for me. It's an original spin on the "found footage" type of flick from Norway, which follows a trio of college students as they document the work of Hans, a… More
  Ever want to like a movie more than you actually do? Trollhunter is a recent example of that kind of movie for me. It's an original spin on the "found footage" type of flick from Norway, which follows a trio of college students as they document the work of Hans, a troll hunter under the employ of the Norwegian government. The trolls are depicted here as a variation of their folk origins that fits into the real world while including things like their weakness to sunlight. The computer effects used to portray the trolls on screen are actually pretty good. You're not going to be blown away by how they look, but they're integrated into the environment well and the actors interact with them in a convincing manner. I can't help but appreciate Trollhunter for its originality (after all, how many movies about trolls have you seen lately?), but it just didn't captivate me the way it should have, at least until the admittedly riveting last act. The characters didn't have much of a personality to get attached to (other than Hans), and I rarely felt like they were really in peril. As I mentioned earlier, a lot of these issues disappear in the last act, but I wish the entire movie could have been as interesting to watch as the final third. I love the idea, but Trollhunter wasn't quite a home run for me. Still, I recommend it for anyone who's interested.

• Robert C

  
  Finally a Mocumentary/Found Footage film that doesn't take itself too seriously. What makes this one interesting is that this time around the subject matter are creatures from folklore and fairy tales. Not some supernatural entity or creatures from outer space. At first… More
  Finally a Mocumentary/Found Footage film that doesn't take itself too seriously. What makes this one interesting is that this time around the subject matter are creatures from folklore and fairy tales. Not some supernatural entity or creatures from outer space. At first it sounds completely ridiculous (and lets face it...it is!), but they create enough of a mythology and backstory for the beasts and why there is a need for a "Troll Hunter"...that it really makes it kind of fun and interesting. And at times intense and almost scary. The problem is that the film seems to struggle with who it's target audience is. It is too intense and scary for a younger audience (to spite the Muppet like trolls) and just a bit too silly (thanks to the Muppet like trolls) for horror/sci-fi fans to fully embrace and a bit to modern for fans of mythology and folklore. So it's the select group of fans that can span all of these genres and appreciate them for what they are...who will find Troll Hunter a fun little adventure.

• Matheus C

  
  I like it how it manages to poke fun at itself and make creative use of a local legend, but isn't the "Blair Witch Project" style of filmmaking really starting to wear off?

• Tsubaki S

  
  A clever use of the mockumentary format, but at the same time the movie drowns itself with too many "night vision shots of people running" sequences in the middle. Aside from the troll hunter itself the rest of the cast is dull and not very interesting. Like Rare Exports,… More
  A clever use of the mockumentary format, but at the same time the movie drowns itself with too many "night vision shots of people running" sequences in the middle. Aside from the troll hunter itself the rest of the cast is dull and not very interesting. Like Rare Exports, too much premise and not much story to write about.

• Julie B

  
  I will never look at high tension power lines the same way again. Stay safe out there.

• Phil H

  
  So Scandinavia has trolls it seems hmmm well you could believe it after watching this film if 'The Blair Witch Project' hadn't been made first of course ;) and there is your problem really, the way the film is made from start to finish is really a rip of… More
  So Scandinavia has trolls it seems hmmm well you could believe it after watching this film if 'The Blair Witch Project' hadn't been made first of course ;) and there is your problem really, the way the film is made from start to finish is really a rip of 'TBWP' right down to the text warnings at the beginning/end of the film. You really can't help but compare the two, the only difference being one is witches one is trolls. Let me be clear that's totally fine as the film is actually a pretty neat mysterious/doc type flick with plenty good moments, nothing that's gonna scare the pants of you and nothing that's gonna amaze you but its solid stuff. The whole film is of course in hand held cam mode (or so it seems) for realism which works, the actors all play along with innocent naive expressions on their faces as they learn of the fairytale wonder before them whilst the gruff, bearded, emotionless, big game troll hunter mooches around barking instructions to the camera crew and generally being a mans man. Its enjoyable light stuff which is directed really well and does succeed in making you kinda believe, you do of course see some trolls, mainly at night or through night vision, so its actually hard to tell if the effects are any good or not, they seem to look good but I actually couldn't decide wether they were cgi or possibly stop/go animation. None the less the finale is the highlight of the troll chasing with a decent looking 'Jurassic Park' style sequence which looks good but like the film is abit of an anticlimax right at the very end.

• Everett J

  
  So I'm on rottentomatoes.com earlier and I see a link for a trailer called "Troll Hunter." Looked amazing, and I was like "why haven't I heard of this?" as it said it was out May 6th. So I looked online and found it, and the reason I hadn't heard of… More
  So I'm on rottentomatoes.com earlier and I see a link for a trailer called "Troll Hunter." Looked amazing, and I was like "why haven't I heard of this?" as it said it was out May 6th. So I looked online and found it, and the reason I hadn't heard of it was because it is a Norwegian movie. The best way to describe this movie is it is a combination of "Cloverfield" and "Monsters". It's a movie shot with handhold cameras about people who follow a guy who hunts and kills trolls in Norway. It has some funny moments, but it plays like a serious monster movie. I really dug it, it was pretty original, and I'd suspect that there will be an American remake down the road. If you like monster movies, and don't mind shaky camera work or subtitles, then I highly recommend you check this out. Great way to spend 90 minutes.

• Justin Y

  
  <i>The Troll Hunter</i> is a film from Andre Ovredal that is just as intriguing as it's title.<p>Employing a mockumentary filming style, the 90+ minute story has an interest factor through the roof, as the settings and atmosphere produce a sense of realism,… More
  <i>The Troll Hunter</i> is a film from Andre Ovredal that is just as intriguing as it's title.<p>Employing a mockumentary filming style, the 90+ minute story has an interest factor through the roof, as the settings and atmosphere produce a sense of realism, despite a funny and fantasy like concept. The story also paces itself quite well. <i>The Troll Hunter</i> is not trolls, trolls, and more trolls; however it does show enough without over doing it. In between the troll segments, the film uses this time to unveil interesting facts about the trolls and the troll hunting job itself.</p><p>The designs of the trolls are remarkable in the way that they look menacing, while not feeling completely out of place like in a fairy tale. The CG effects may not be this picture's strong suit, but having the trolls appear at night and using a lot of night vision shots help cover that up without ruining the film.</p><p>Otto Jespersen delivers an excellent performance as the troll hunter. His calm, cool, and collective attitude is a nice contrast to the college student characters that tag along with him.</p><p>With none to very little in the way of motion sickness, <i>The Troll Hunter</i> finds itself as a unique monster film that is worth checking out.</p>

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"You'll believe it when you see it!"</i> A group of students investigate a series of mysterious bear killings, but learns that there are much more dangerous things going on. They start to follow a mysterious hunter, learning that he is actually a troll… More
  <i>"You'll believe it when you see it!"</i> A group of students investigate a series of mysterious bear killings, but learns that there are much more dangerous things going on. They start to follow a mysterious hunter, learning that he is actually a troll hunter. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> This is not a horror movie, but a fine social commentary disguised as a Cloverfield like movie. The idea is simple enough: trolls exist, they are all over in Norway, and the government is hiding their existence for unknown reasons. They are stupid, they are territorial and, as long as they don't get out or meet humans, they can live their 1000-1200 year life and grow to the size of Godzilla. But if they do, there is a special hunter sent for them. The thing is that this is not an action or horror movie... and it's Norwegian. The people are calm when they talk, even when they get close to angry. They behave like normal human beings. They are incredulous on their existence, then frightened, then hooked on trolls. The cover up is not some high tech black suit thing, but a clumsy pathetic under-budget thing that people put up to just because it is easier to believe obvious lies than think trolls exist. The hunter allows the film crew to follow him for one reason only: he does this hard job, his pay is low and he is under-appreciated. They place the blame for damage and life loss on smuggled dead bears. Bottom line: low budget, but really interesting movie. It is like someone made a whole feature film from the saying "there is an elephant in the room", only he used trolls. The best points in the film are not related to trolls, though, but to the human interactions and general complacency that oozes from everyone involved. Highly recommended.

• Mike S

  
  Norway's own contribution to the monster genre, is an exciting and original production, reminiscent of J.J Abrams' <i>Cloverfield</i>. The prime difference here though, is that this is more of a spoof of the entire genre. Taking the old Scandinavian troll mythos,… More
  Norway's own contribution to the monster genre, is an exciting and original production, reminiscent of J.J Abrams' <i>Cloverfield</i>. The prime difference here though, is that this is more of a spoof of the entire genre. Taking the old Scandinavian troll mythos, and making a fake documentary about it, is a really brilliant idea that translates well to the screen. However far-fetched it may be with three-headed trolls that eat stones for breakfast, they've made it feel very real thanks to a great script and convincing acting. As an added bonus, we also get treated to the beautiful Norwegian mountain ranges and landscapes. That and more makes it a worthy addition to my Top 10 Monster Movies list.

• A.D. V

  
  It seems the shaky-cam/found footage has ceased being a gimmick and now can claim itself as being a subgenere given all of the films that have been using it. This film is no diiferent and like most of the others it can at times become quite aggravating not allowing you to see whats… More
  It seems the shaky-cam/found footage has ceased being a gimmick and now can claim itself as being a subgenere given all of the films that have been using it. This film is no diiferent and like most of the others it can at times become quite aggravating not allowing you to see whats going on in key moments. My only other complaint is it tends to drag here and there not allowing the viewer to build up anticipation of what's coming next. As for the good stuff the cast is quite enjoyable and more importantly believeable given the nature of the film, the trolls themselves are outstanding and are a beauty to behold and I enjoyed hearing the backstory and mythos of the creatures as told by the best actor in it all, Hans (Otto Jespersen) who seems to be possibly distantly related to Jaws' Quint. Overall the film is a fun creature feature from Norway that will satisfy both monster fans as well as those who like mockumentaries.

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