Down power lines, uprooted trees, ravaged forests - sounds like the work of a pretty nasty storm, right? Maybe, but if you find yourself in the regions of Western Norway, it just may be the handiwork of one moody troll. What Al Gore so heroically did for global warming in 2006, TrollHunter is about to do for the slimy brutes of Scandinavian folklore. In the vein of The Blair Witch Project, Quarantine and Cloverfield, TrollHunter is another found-footage documentary that blows the lid off the paranormal world - which begs the question, who the hell keeps finding these things? A hit at film festivals the world over, Norwegian mock-doc TrollHunter first started gaining international attention before it even hit theatres with its compelling teaser and premature talks of an American remake. Go in expecting nothing and you may be elated with surprise; go in expecting a little too much and you could wind up like me - just a little bit disappointed.
The premise is simple: three college students trail a mysterious bear poacher with camcorder in hand, sensing there may be a little more to the hunter than he’s letting on. They are more right than they could have ever imagined and are soon making a full-fledged documentary on a certified troll hunter (he is a member of the Troll Security Service to be specific). Otto Jespersen stars in the title role as Hans and though his character is unapologetically stern and seemingly incapable of cracking a grin, his solemnity serves the movie well in scenes of pure ludicrousness like the one in which he fills out monotonous paperwork after his latest Ringlefinch kill. The three curious students played by Glenn Erland Tosterud, Johanna Mørck and Tomas Alf Larsen (the rarely seen “cameraman”) also command the screen with an impressive level of naturalism and good humor that make it nearly impossible to not become at least slightly engaged in their journey.
Unfortunately the key actors aren’t given much to work with in terms of tangible personas or dialogue and therefore most of the drama-related scenes simply feel like obligatory linking chains between suspenseful troll chases. And when the trolls finally do plod onto the screen, they are varied in their effect. At times the CGI is remarkable as in the closing scene of the film in which the group face off against the Jotner, the big kahuna of the troll world if you will. And at other times the visual effects are so glaringly obvious that we desperately wish the director had taken a less-is-more approach. One of the most memorable shots of TrollHunter sees Hans standing on a bridge as a troll’s hand reaches over the side feeling around for the hunter. The visual obscurity of this scene is instantly gripping and though the thought of getting a full shot of the troll is appealing, when this curiosity is satiated the visual effect feels somewhat cheap.
On one particular troll pursuit, Hans explains that not all power lines are what they appear to be - some are electric fences designed to keep trolls in their designated territories. See some livestock on the side of the road? Well they may not be indigenous, they may just be a midnight troll snack. Oh and that “bear attack” that took place in the woods two days back? Most likely a government cover-up. These moments of dry humor are what make TrollHunter enjoyable. The movie never succeeds more than in these scenes, turning everyday human occurrences’ on their head. And though the movie has an a decent amount of them, a few more certainly wouldn’t have hurt.
TrollHunter is far from a complete let down. It promises an entertaining ride with a few armrest squeezes - and it delivers. Where it falters is what can be described in no other way than a crisis of self. It lacks the barefaced camp of a mockumentary like This is Spinal Tap but also fails to capture the doubt-inducing authenticity of a movie like The Blair Witch Project. When the hunter first runs toward the group of students covered in camouflage and shouting “Troll!” at the top of his manly lungs, it’s unclear whether we are supposed to be amused or scared and this is the recurring trouble with TrollHunter. It’s the kind of movie that when someone asks you, “So, how was it?” you are likely to simply say, “Interesting.”
Blu-ray Bonus Features
The deleted scenes, blooper reel and visual effects features are all lackluster at best, but the Blu-ray’s behind the scenes featurettes are worth a once-over if for no other reason than to see Otto Jespersen get his beard glued on before shooting. Who new that the best special effect in the film was right on the main character's face!
"TrollHunter" is on sale August 23, 2011 and is rated PG13. Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy. Directed by Anders Anderson, Andre øvredal. Written by André Øvredal. Starring Otto Jespersen, Glenn Erland Tosterud, Johanna Mørck.
