TROLLHUNTER
Three student filmmakers venture into the most isolated region of Norway on a mission to confront a notorious bear poacher, and discover that the elusive hunter's true prey is something far more extraordinary. Though Kalle, Thomas, and Johanna thought they were pursuing a criminal, after locating Hans (Otto Jespersen) with the help of some local hunters, they learn that bears are not his true target but a mere smokescreen to obscure what he's really after -- trolls. A secret government agency has been conspiring to cover up the existence of these massive monsters, but occasionally the trolls manage to break their containment area. Now, if the group can just survive long enough to get their incredible footage to the outside world, they could be responsible for revealing the most impressive cryptozoological discovery in the history of humankind. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: André Øvredal
Cast: Glenn Erland Trosterud, Otto Jespersen, Robert Stoltenberg, Knut Nærum
Release Date: Jun 10, 2011
Rated PG-13 for some sequences of creature terror
Runtime: 1 hr. 43 min.
Genres: Art House/Foreign, Horror
Review:
There is an incredible sense of fun and adventure at the heart of this “found footage” mockumentary. It benefits the film which never really takes itself overly seriously and serves the premise perfectly well. This low budget creature feature is an interesting film that feels more like a road movie which takes full advantage of the wonderfully mythical looking Norwegian landscapes. Director André Øvredal gives his film a surprisingly polished feel. So much so that it really doesn’t feel like a lot of “found footage” genre films. The CGI is impressive considering the minuscule budget; most of it is wisely hidden in the dark or night vision. His cast is fairly naturalistic and come across as authentic. Glenn Erland Trosterud, in particular, just nails his grizzled hunter who’s over the crap job he’s been tasked with. Watching Trosterud and knowing that an American remake is already in the works, remake deal was announced the day it was released internationally, I couldn’t help but think of Tommy Lee Jones in the role. I digress, the film is a lot of fun but it does have some flaws. A few portions of the film just seem like filler and the last act feels like it’s building up to an impressive climax but it doesn’t come through. Instead the film ends abruptly and certain parties portrayed previously suddenly become dangerous. It’s a strange finale but there is a funny little bit near the end with reminds you of the tone that makes Trollhunter easy to enjoy.
B-
