The new film ‘Trolls’ by Dreamworks opens nationwide November 4.
Trolls is an animated kids movie starring the voices of Anna Kendrick as Poppy, heir to the Trolls, and her pessimistic best friend Branch, voiced by Justin Timberlake.
Trolls opens with a quick summary of the Trolls personality– they are always happy, love to hug, party and dance. This is immediately followed up by revealing the trolls biggest predicament: the Bergens.
The Bergens don’t feel anything at all and don’t enjoy doing anything, the only amount of happiness they feel comes from eating the trolls on a holiday they deemed “Trollstis”.
I actually enjoyed this concept although it is a bit dark for children. The film however, manages to stay away from having a dark tone throughout. Instead, it’s filled with cheesy musical numbers and has a very basic plot, I.e. trolls get kidnapped and need to be rescued.
The character depth is pretty slim and the only character development we really see is with Branch (Timberlake) who goes from being pessimistic and a downer to positive and happy by the very end.
Multiple times during the movie I found myself asking “when is this going to end?”. There was maybe one moment throughout the entire movie that got a half chuckle out of me and that was absolutely it.
Despite such big names like Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick, Russell Brand, Zoey Deschanel and Gwen Stefani, the subtle adult jokes sprinkled throughout the movie were few and far between…. Rather than most recent films targeted at kids, that have an underlying thread aimed at drawing in adults and making it worthwhile for the adults to attend, Trolls adult aimed content seemed to be at an absolute bare minimum.
Therefore, my conclusions are this: If you’re looking for a kids movie that also has substance that reaches adults, this film doesn’t make the list. This film is simply a kids movie in every way.
However, if you want to take your kid to a movie that lights up his face and brightens his day this movie is worth sitting through.
I’d give this movie 2/5 stars as an adult, but the 8 year old boy gives it 5/5.
Second review by .Barnetty Kushner
When it comes to feel good movies, Trolls definitely doesn’t disappoint. Trolls are the modern day version of SMURFS, whose main focus in life is being happy. They spend their days singing and dancing full of joy and being together.
Even though they live a blissful life, they do live in fear of the Bergens, ogre-like creatures who live in misery and believe the only way they can be happy is to eat a Troll. Twenty years ago, the Trolls resided in a tree, living happily, in the middle of the Bergens’ village. Fed up with the Bergens eating their species, they flee their home and move into hiding still remaining joyous, singing, and loving life creatures.
All with the exception of Branch (Justin Timberlake), the token unhappy Troll-a survivalist who is always prepared for a Bergen attack. Troll princess Joy (Anna Kendrick), the instigator of happiness believes the Bergens are a thing of the past and they will never find them. Sadly, this isn’t the case, thanks to the banished Bergen chef (Christine Baranski), who spent 20 years trying to hunt down the Trolls.
They are they reason she was banished in the first place. Due to the constant loud and colorful celebrations, the chef found their hideout and kidnapped Joy’s closest friends. Feeling guilty, Joy takes it upon herself to try to rescue them. She enlists the help of Branch who reluctantly joins her on her adventure to the Bergen Village to save her friends before they become Bergen supper. If you were to dissect down the story line, there were some missteps.
At times, the movie seemed to have too many characters which didn’t allow the audience to connect with most of them. However, the exuberant musical numbers, the vivacious visual palette from Director Mike Mitchell (Alvin and the Chipmunks: Shipwrecked) with it’s glitter and neon induced scenery, managed to make the Trolls shine brightly in its own right. You can’t help but want to stand up and dance by the end credits.
This film is definitely pure delight and teaches us that you can’t expect someone else to make you happy, you have to look within yourself and find it.
4 out of 5 stars
