After the review, watche the Trailer or the Complete Film on NetFlix.

Review of Troll (2022) by Buttonface

Buttonface Says…

Ever thought to yourself that if only the 1998 American version of Godzilla needed to be a hell of a lot more like Jurassic park… only about a troll? If so, you’re in luck!

Is it a paleontologist? No, it’s an archeologist… I think, but she finds footprints and blah blah blah. What this really comes down to is, “How do you feel about derivative work?” Maybe a better question is, “Where do you draw the line between derivative works and derivatives?”

The word derivative isn’t necessarily bad. As a noun its “something that is based on another source” as an adjective it’s “imitative of the work of another person” and that’s normally perceived as bad.

Ultimately everything is derivative of something, it’s just how far back does it go. I guess it’s like marrying your cousin, different cultures have different standards… and the results can create some questionable duplicates.

In the case of trolls, it’s a little close to the family tree for comfort. If this was an american movie, it would be released direct to the scifi channel, but being a Norwegian flick, it has better acting (I think, its either subbed in Norwegian or dubbed in English), it has way more charm, and much better special effects.

But the story. The story is a cobbled hodgepodge of every one of this type of movie. It’s basically Twister, Jurassic Park, Godzilla, Jaws, etc, only about a big-ass troll. Luckily, it’s not hard to get a guy like me behind that concept.

I should also point out that some of the best things in the world are completely derivative. Music, for example. In the world of pop they do it all the time, but for me, bands like the Ramones and the New York Dolls were not intentionally reinventing music, they were more putting their own spin on a proven concept.

But only time will tell. Will Troll go on to be that derivative movie that spawned a new world view, that changed the way movies are made, that birthed a whole new genre? … no it will not. But, it is some fun B.S. So, if you’re looking for something that is at all creative, pick another flick.

More on cogitations on 2022’s Troll:

• The Director, Roar Uthaug, also directed 2018’s Tomb Raider. So, if that was your thing this might be too… oh and a few Norwegian thrillers and disaster flicks.
• David Kosse of Netflix described the film as “a giant four-quadrant event movie that happens to take place in Norway… with a troll.” Apparently, a four-quadrant movie in the film industry is one that attracts all four main demographic groups of moviegoers: men and women, and folks older and younger than 25.
• It’s a shame this wasn’t better because I find the lore of trolls to be interesting and would love better stuff about it.