Trolling.

The Troll Hunter (trolljegeren)

Starring Otto Jespersen, Johanna Mørck, Glenn Erland Tosterud and Urmila Berg-Domaa.
Directed by André Øvredal.

With films like Paranormal Activity and the upcoming sci fi horror Apollo 18, you might be thinking that “found footage” genre horror might be running out of steam. But here comes Scandinavian director André Øvredal’s the Troll Hunter.
Set in the scenic mountains of Western Norway, it’s about a bunch of students led by Thomas, played by actor Glenn Erland Tosterud, who attempts to make a documentary of bear killings in the area. All points lead to the enigmatic Hans (Jespersen) after declining an interview; they follow him to a forest in the middle of the night soon after Hans comes out of nowhere screaming “TROLL!!” This has to go down as one of the best quotes from a film this year. It’s so good you can get it as a ringtone for your phone.

After their car is smashed up by the beasts, the student’s discover that Hans works for the T.S.S (Troll Security Service) a top secret government division which monitors Troll activity in the country. Hans decides to let the students film his exploits in order for more “paid overtime” and even though Hans forces Thomas to douse himself in troll mess, Thomas starts to regard him as a “national hero” yet Hans sees the position as a “very dirty job.” But the amateur film makers soon begin to realise that they might in over their heads on this one...

If you’re expecting scares and jumps in a forest well go and see a film where a witch is supposed to turn up. A lot of critics have stated this film more like a black comedy. I found myself laughing at the films offbeat tone. It’s Jespersen; a Norwegian stand up comic gets the big up as the emotionless hunter whose job has seemingly left him without a social life. With a budget for £3 million, the CGI can definitely compete with the SFX big boys like Weta and Industrial Light and Magic and the trolls themselves look like something out of a Grimm fairy tale.

The director has mined his homeland’s rich folklore and given something completely new and fresh let’s hope we get to see more from Øvredal, in the meantime we can all look forward to the U.S version of the Troll Hunter can’t we?!?

DW 4/5

Posted: 15/7/2011
Categories: Reviews / Movies

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