Trolls
Directed by: Walt Dohrn & Mike
Mitchell.
Written by: Jonathan Aibel & Glenn
Berger and Erica Rivinoja based on the Good Luck Trolls created by Thomas Dam.
Starring: Anna Kendrick (Poppy), Justin
Timberlake (Branch), Zooey Deschanel (Bridget), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (King
Gristle0, Christine Baranski (Chef), Russell Brand (Creek), Gwen Stefani (DJ
Suki), John Cleese (King Gristle Sr.), James Corden (Biggie), Jeffrey Tambor (King
Peppy), Ron Funches (Cooper), Aino Jawo (Satin), Caroline Hjelt (Chenille), Kunal
Nayyar (Guy Diamond), Quvenzhané Wallis (Harper).
Before
I begin my review of Trolls, let me acknowledge the obvious and say that the
film is quite clearly a cynical exercise in brand extension – a way to get
Dreamworks animation and the troll doll company more revenue than simply
selling movie tickets – because there is now a line of toys and everything else
kids will want (a trip to Wal-Mart after the movie with my five-year-old
confirms this). I know that. I also know that Trolls is the type of animated kids’
movie that normally I don’t like – it’s brightly colored, loud, fast-paced and frenetic
in a way that often gives me headaches when I see it in kids films. Its message
is both obvious, and yet I’m not sure is entirely thought through. Had I seen
this film say 6 years ago, I may well have loathed it. Seeing it sitting next
to my five year old though – who was completely into the film, so much that at
the end she even got up and danced along with the trolls – I have to admit it –
the film won me over.
As
the title implies, the film is about trolls – specifically, trolls that look
like those annoying troll dolls that for some reason have been popular for
years and years. 20 years ago, this specific group of trolls escaped from the
tree where they were held by the Bergens – a much bigger species, who looks
more like what I envision trolls to look like, rather than the cute ones who
are our heroes, but I digress. Once a year, the Bergens eat the trolls of
Trollstice – and the Bergens believe this is the only way to be happy. When
news of the escape breaks to the Bergens, they expel their Chef (Christine
Baranski) whose job it was to keep them. All these years later, the trolls live
in peace and harmony – doing nothing all day except for singing and dancing –
unless it’s time to break for their hourly hug time. You see where this is
going – Princess Poppy (Anna Kendrick), decides to hold the biggest, brightest,
loudest party ever – the chef finds them, and kidnaps some of the trolls.
Princess Poppy is determined to get them back – and ends up alongside Branch
(Justin Timberlake) – the only troll who hates singing, dancing and hugs – but knows
a lot about Bergens.
The
plot is perhaps too complicated – there are double crosses, and mistaken
identifies – and a whole one involving the King of the Bergens (Christopher
Mintz-Plasse), and a scullery maid who is in love with him (Zooey Deschanel),
and various degrees of deception, etc. The film works best when it jettisons
all that aside, and is just a pure, fun, entertaining musical. On that level,
Anna Kendrick is perfectly cast as Poppy – perky in the extreme at all times,
but never more some than when she’s singing jukebox versions of classic dance
songs in full Pitch Perfect mode. And we all know that the film doesn’t have
Justin Timberlake as Branch to have him not sing – and when he does, he’s fun
to see to.
The
film is rather and fast paced – and last only 90 minutes – which is good,
because anymore and the film couldn’t sustain its sugar high. It isn’t a good
film per se – and I don’t think I would want to see it more than once (which doesn’t
seem to be an option, since my five year old has already seen it twice – she saw
it at a birthday party opening weekend, and insisted on taking me the second
weekend, because she didn’t want me to miss it – and she loved it both times). But
for parents looking for a relatively pain free 90 minute activity with their kids,
Trolls does the job. If that sounds like I’m damning the movie with faint
praise, maybe I am – but I will say that for 90 minutes, I had fun. What more
really did you expect from Trolls?
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