I don’t know what’s going on in the Nordic part of the world, but I seriously fucking approve.
I don’t know what’s going on in the Nordic part of the world, but I seriously fucking approve. First Sweden made Let The Right One In and I shed a few tears of joy. Then Finland cranked out Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale and I gently humped my pillow pretending it was the film. Now, Norway has jumped in with the awesome Troll Hunter – a film apparently made for the specific purpose of making me fall in love with all things Troll.
Andre Ovredal made this latest gem from the cold land and I obviously approve. I should warn you the cold people from cold land have been doing a shitload of thinking about trolls over the years. They aren’t just dicks hiding under bridges and not allowing you to pass. They’ve got some serious troll folklore going on and we non-Nordics clearly miss a few jokes. But it does not matter because this movie is trolltastic.
Unlike shockingly simplistic Hollywood monster movies, like Cloverfield, Troll Hunter gets going and then dumps layer after layer of humor, scares and troll information. Instead of taking the “oh my God what is it?” route, which makes films like Cloverfield lack depth, Troll Hunter uses a troll hunter as great device. This man knows everything about trolls, becoming our troll guide and dispensing information in a hilariously casual manner. He’s pretty over trolls and the entire troll chasing business. It’s really the perfect choice for a film about trolls.
It’s a mockumentary, a genre that now has many possible pitfalls. Ovredal misses them all and hits the right marks over and over. I found Cloverfield to be unwatchable at times due to shaky camera syndrome. Hey, I want to watch a movie without feeling like I’m going to vomit, thanks. The largest pitfall of horror mockumentaries is what happens after the monster is revealed. Most films just slip into a belligerent chase, taking a break for two characters to gently caress each other, before resuming the chase. Not so in Troll Hunter. Once the monsters are revealed, the filmmaker uses an endless stream of information to keep the viewer entertained.
I had no idea there were so many trolls. Raglefant? Check. Tusseladd? In. Jotne? Bam. Mountain Kings? Damn right. Harding? God yes. Dovregubben? Of course. Who in the fuck would make a troll move without Dovregubbens? Do all the trolls like each other? What a stupid question to ask. In what world are Woodland Trolls and Mountain Kings friends?
Ovredal made an awesome movie. He should be given the keys to Hollywood and they should be taken away from many of the idiots holding them here. I’m hoping for a Troll Hunter 2.
Go see it or suffer a life of emptiness.
–Dave Anthony
