Troll (2022) – Movie Review and Honest Opinion [Netflix]

The genre focused on powerful monsters has been experiencing a kind of renaissance for several years now. When Legendary Pictures released a decent Godzilla in 2014, it was clear she would be the studio’s golden goose — and they weren’t so wrong. While the four series that make up the universe didn’t generate as much enthusiasm from reviewers, the nearly two billion dollars in box office revenue pushed the company even further. We know the creators are working on bringing the iconic beasts to a smaller screen as Apple TV+ and Legendary Television are working together to create a series that will show the fate of a world inhabited by monsters known as Titans. And when, it would seem, a lot has already been shown in this genre, quite pleasant, and most importantly, very spectacular film debuts on Netflix, dating back to Norwegian folklore, traditions and legends, decorated with sparkling silverware of special effects and successful computer graphics.

Troll (2022) – movie review [Netflix]. Strong protagonist

Nora’s childhood was spent hiking in the mountains and listening to fairy tales and fairy tales told by her father, who knew Norwegian folklore like no other. Years later, the heroine forgets about all the fairy tales, or rather, in every possible way compares them with her worldview and, as a professor in the field of geology and paleontology, explores the past. When, after several months of working on a certain project, she finally manages to reach a climax, her team’s joy is cut short. It turns out that as a result of work on the track, which violates the mountain ecosystem, there was a huge explosion and a massacre of unknown origin. Although at first the researcher dismisses all speculations related to the surrounding legends, it becomes clear that a real test awaits her – after all, a bloodthirsty troll has awakened.

Overlooked “Troll” stands with special effects – and it should be emphasized that these exquisite shots fit very well into the overall style of the production. The beast, built of rocks, on the one hand resembles a humanoid creature (close-ups are very impressive), although in its appearance we can see fragments of moss, smaller plants or trees. Thanks to this, it is a kind of symbol of the voice of nature, which, constantly tested by man, suppressed and destroyed, finally rises to rebellion, attacking human habitats. An attempt to weave the threads of ecology, references to hypernature and a scientific explanation of the upheaval taking place before our eyes is a very good procedure, which, first of all, distinguishes “Troll” compared to other shows of this type, but in the second half of the film, less and less comes to the fore, giving way to a shallow and very predictable plot. What a pity!

It is also a pity that Roar Utaug and Espen Aukan, who worked together on the script, did not try to portray the main characters in a more complex way. It must be admitted that the main character – a determined, intelligent researcher, trying at all costs to find out the truth about the supernatural phenomenon – seems like ideal material for the main character, although she is a woman, like many in modern film and television programs. . The rest of the ideas about her on-screen companions leave much to be desired, because they are too stereotyped and one-dimensional. So let’s watch “Troll” we follow the actions of a slightly deranged assistant to the prime minister, who seems to be her best friend from the first meeting with Nora, on our way there is a likeable, encouraging military man who, at the most predictable (but inopportune) moment, decides to give a sugary speech about courage and the duty of the army to protect countries. There is also the father of the protagonist, who has considerable difficulty distinguishing reality from fiction – as you might guess, he turns out to be the professor’s biggest essential support in the fight for truth and against seasoned bureaucrats. Much more could be expected from a story with such promising premise, but the farther into the forest, the writers of the script do not make much effort to add spirit to their characters.

Troll (2022) – movie review [Netflix]. Take this production with a grain of salt and enjoy

From the first to the last minute, the monitored “Troll” pleases the eye – Norway’s climate, full of peaceful valleys between large hills and mountains that adorn charming wooden huts, seems almost straight out of postcards. In addition, some anxiety. The main axis of the plot is based on an old, somewhat forgotten and certainly overlooked by some groups legend, depicting the process of creation and sleep of trolls. There is a mystery in these tales, which at a certain stage of the film the creators very cleverly cultivate., to sow a seed of uncertainty that quickly explodes and attacks us with an action from the first to the last minute. There’s a lot going on in the show, and that’s one of its biggest selling points – and the idea of ​​taking pictures with the monster feels really well thought out and painstakingly executed. “Troll” is pleasant to watch, although the further into the forest it is worth more and more to skip the plot, the ending of which slightly flattens the noble foundations.

Considering the production expanding the MonsterVerse series, we have to treat the reviewed “Troll” with some gentleness. Because if during the show we focus on anything other than live action or very well done special effects, we’ll be bombarded with a bunch of made-up nonsense that’s missing. If you take the story of the Norwegian monster and the consequences of its appearance (and the reasons for the extinction of its species) seriously, then it misses the point and will not give you pleasure. Here, after a dozen or two minutes, nonsense is chasing nonsense, the scriptwriters are drawn straight from Hollywood to the most inaccurate and superficial decisions, which, step by step, deprive the picture of a unique atmosphere.

I feel like it’s been revised “Troll” did not use its potential to 100%. Of course, this is still a good proposal, dedicated to a very interesting monster, light and pleasant entertainment, where two hours fly by surprisingly quickly. Roar Uthaug staged a spectacle that was primarily supposed to show a fight with another giant beast and he just did it, and its scale and embodiment will not be ashamed of the filmmakers of the largest film studios. However, as we delve into the story, a certain revulsion remains…