NORWEGIAN Monster movie Troll is the Scandinavian answer to Hollywood blockbusters King Kong and Godzilla.
Directed by the perfectly-named Roar Uthaug, this is a family-friendly adventure of gargantuan proportions that is as charming as it is entertaining. But ultimately its biggest flaw is that it brings nothing new to the table.
It tells the story of a leviathan force that is awoken during construction of a new tunnel in the mountain of Dovre after being trapped for a thousand years. The giant destroys everything in its path, and appears unstoppable as it heads straight on its collision course for Oslo.
The Nordic backdrop makes a pleasant change from American skyscrapers that are generally the norm in these action-packed behemoths, but there’s too much of the cliches and tropes of tinsel-town to make it stand out from the pack.
The gentle pace is welcome, and the lack of big thundering explosions and action sequences doesn’t hinder our enjoyment. What I did find most grating was the fact that the characters are so typical of what you expect from Hollywood movies, but that is probably just a small gripe from an overly cynical hack.
Uthaug’s movie would have been a far better one, certainly more memorable, if he put more of a North European twist on proceedings. Instead he has opted for ticking all the usual blockbuster boxes but that’s okay too.
Still, there’s plenty of magic, and if you are looking for a no-brainer over the Christmas where you can totally switch off and enjoy some humble fairytale fodder, Troll is most certainly your man.
It won’t win any prizes for originality but this Netflix monster mash pretty much does what it says on the tin and you should have little or no complaints over its 103-minute running-time.
(4/5)
