Review - Troll Hunter

Norway has trolls. Lots of trolls. No, I don't mean the attention-hungry human beings who stalk social networks. I mean the fantasy creatures who make Norwegian forests their home, shy away from sunlight, and like to beat the shit out of devout Christians. Naturally, with such creatures stalking forests and countrysides in search of the faithful, it's only fair that there exist a group of defenders, whose task is to hunt any troll that strays too far from forests. That is the basis of Troll Hunter, André Øvredal's found-footage style mockumentary.

The story is well told, right from the get go

Found-footage films often show the central cast in pursuit of their objective. Øvredal deliberately strays from this well-traveled path to bring a fresh feel to his entry in the genre. Three college students, the characters supposedly filming what is seen on screen - Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud), Johanna (Johanna Mørck) and Kalle (Tomas Alf Larsen), are tracking Hans (Otto Jespersen), a man they suspect is a bear poacher.

(L-R) Glenn Erland Tosterud, Johanna Mørck, and Tomas Alf Larsen

After several failed attempts to interview Hans, the trio decide to follow him into an abandoned minefield within a dense forest and finally see him in action - taking down one of the massive, ornery beasts. Apparently, killing trolls is as easy as focusing a powerful ultraviolet lamp on them, which instantly calcifies their entire body. 

Calcifying a troll - up, close and personal

Soon, however, the students find out that killing one stray troll isn't what Hans' mission is all about. Something way bigger is underway, and they are all a part of it now. And that's when the fun begins. The camera work is superb, especially during frantic chases, where the shakes in the camera accurately simulate a real world scenario of the type, even though it does make the action a bit difficult to follow in certain cases.

The performances are, as can be expected, excellent

Most of the cast members are popular actors and comedians in Norway. As such, it is hardly surprising that the performances are almost always brilliant. However, even among such a cast, the portrayal of Hans by Otto Jespersen deserves special mention. His no-nonsense depiction of the eponymous hero, as well as the occasional comical moments that he brings to the screen make the movie worthy of a re-watch.

Jespersen's portrayal of Hans is one of the finer elements of the movie

The humor may not translate well for everyone, however

A core aspect of the humor presented in Troll Hunter is religion. The trolls are apparently able to literally sniff out the religious convictions of their victims. There's even a scene where Hans confronts the students about their religious beliefs after noticing a troll continually sniffing in their direction. This kind of heavy-handed, anti-religious approach might not sit well with some viewers. Also, on a separate note, those who do not know about the dryness of Scandinavian humor might not be able to get it all on the first view, and end up watching it as a blend of fantasy, sci-fi and action instead. That won't exactly ruin the experience for them, however.

Bottom line - André Øvredal's Troll Hunter blends plenty of dry humor, brilliant performances, and an engaging storyline that come together nicely to offer a highly entertaining experience. The director certainly seems ready to deliver plenty of entertainment for the decades to come. His 2016 venture into Hollywood with the chilling-to-the-bone horror movie, The Autopsy of Jane Doe (check out the review here), is also something viewers (especially those who enjoy creepy supernatural horror) might want to look out for.