![Trollhunter [Blu-ray]](http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B0051T46XM&tag=thesurlalufairyt)
Have you heard about the Troll Hunter film? It is looking like the little film that could with the media coverage I have seen for it. It is a foreign film--Norwegian, no surprise--that draws a little bit of inspiration from The Blair Witch Project in its storytelling. The buzz is positive overall but I admit I don't do visual horror so someone will have tell me if its watchable for me before I try as much as I enjoy trolls thanks to my quarter Norwegian heritage. It's officially PG-13 although it has been rated R a few places, so I wonder. I am a wimp, but not as much as I think since I did translate and edit all of those Bluebeard tales
which would certainly get a hardcore rating. And it's something different to offer in the way of folklore films here on SurLaLune.Description from the official site:
The government says there’s nothing to worry about – it’s just a problem with bears making trouble in the mountains and forests of Norway. But local hunters don’t believe it – and neither do a trio of college students who want to find out the truth. Armed with a video camera, they trail a mysterious “poacher,” who wants nothing to do with them. However, their persistence lands them straight in the path of the objects of his pursuits: trolls. They soon find themselves documenting every move of this grizzled, unlikely hero – the trollhunter – risking their lives to uncover the secrets of creatures only thought to exist in fairy tales.
Amazon's description:
The Norwegian comedy-fantasy Troll Hunter, a surprise art-house hit across the globe, posits an intriguing question--what if monsters of folklore and popular culture existed, but were kept hidden by the government?--and delivers the results in a clever, faux-documentary format that underscores both the special effects and the satire. Controversial comedian Otto Jespersen is the title character, a world-weary, working-class stiff assigned by a bureaucratic agency to track and eliminate dangerous trolls from the Scandinavian countryside. The lack of respect and notoriety afforded by his job convinces Jespersen to allow a naive collegiate film crew to follow him on his hunts, which nicely balance quirky humor with genuine moments of suspense and some impressive CGI special effects for the trolls. Genre fans' appreciation for the "shaky-cam" subgenre (The Blair Witch Project, [REC], Cloverfield
) will undoubtedly affect how they feel about Troll Hunter--the film's light comedy will certainly be lost on those unwilling to either believe or tolerate the idea of another film comprised of "found footage." But more forgiving viewers will be thankful for the rather seamless incorporation of the CGI trolls, all imaginatively rendered as part fairy-tale image and part biological specimen, into live-action scenes, as well as the dryly humorous satire of government "special projects." Pacing is also occasionally an issue--though beautiful, the Norwegian landscape receives far too much coverage--but for the patient, Troll Hunter is a unique and clever experience.
Here's the trailer:
I live in Europe, so I've already seen the film and enjoyed it! I'm not sure why it received an R rating anywhere! The only thing I can think of is a bit of cursing, but otherwise there's nothing visually offensive, violent or anything else I can think of that would give it an R rating (and even the PG13 I suspect is just due to language). Hope you enjoy!
ReplyDeleteMy 26-year-old nephew enjoyed it immensely; me, not so much. The trailer makes you think it's fast-paced and exciting, but you're actually seeing the highlights. In between troll sightings the pacing lags and the story itself has a few holes.
ReplyDeleteThe trolls themselves are well done, except for the mountain clan, which looks like actors floundering about in hairy costumes. There's a clever nod to the tale of The Three Billy Goats Gruff and an underlying theme about government vs. freedom of information that you might find interesting. I'd say give it a try. It isn't terribly long so you won't have wasted hours of time.
Being an norwegian, I love the movie. BUT there are aspects there which you have to be a norwegian to understand, like playing with the language.
ReplyDeleteHeidi Dahlsveen in Norway