I had an inkling feeling that this movie would be quite bland.I am not a big fan of the POV craze that movies such as "Blair Witch Project" and " (REC)" started, because of this I went into this movie with an apprehensive mind. However once the movie begins its draws you in with its brilliant pacing and spectacular cinematography. (Note: I watched this in Norwegian with English subtitles)
The Plot: A group of college kids begin investigating a bunch of bear killings only to discover it is a rouse used by a government issued troll hunter.
The Writing: The movie seemingly has a basic plot; A group of college kids begin to make a movie about a "bear killer" who turns out to be a government hired troll hunter. However unlike many movies that use this story (Godzilla, Predator, Any vampire hunter movie)the troll hunter played by Otto Jespersen despises his job as it is a dirty,poorly paid ,and a unappreciated life style, because of this he allows the college kids to video his job in hopes to elevate his lifestyle. The relationship he creates with the college students felt very organic and they get over the mundane "no such things as trolls" phase very quickly.This was because the script allowed us to see a troll (clearly) within the introduction of the movie, this surprised me as many movies would usually with hold this until the mid to the conclusion of the movie.Surprisingly this did not hinder the awe inspiring presence of these fantastical creatures.There is also some pseudo science that explains why trolls cannot take sunlight and why do they turn to stone etc..and for the most part this is done quite well(albeit the fact they smell Christian blood was rather to fantastical for this movie). Though this script is nothing ground breaking it is done excellently and one quickly begins to empathize with the grizzled troll hunter and passionate college students. (4/5)
The Acting: I did not know anyone in the cast but once the credits rolled I was already in love with them. The actors who played the college students were good, their leader Thomas played by Glenn Tosterud emanated charisma and leadership but was still able to convey his amazement at the existence of trolls. However the star of the show (as clearly stated by the title) is the troll hunter himself. Otto Jespersen is definitely the main attraction to this movie (second to the actual trolls) his portrayal of a secret government exterminator is nothing short of Oscar worthy. Throughout the movie he conveys the burden he carries through experience through acting, he only had one monologue in which he was able to explain the unappealing life of a troll hunter. The acting itself in this movie is worth a viewing and is definitely a strength in this movie. (5/5)
The Cinematography: This was the greatest strength the movie had in my opinion. For a movie that had a 20 million dollar budget I thought it bested movies with 5 times its given funds. The trolls look fantastic , they are not hidden by shoddy camera work or tucked away till the end. You will see a troll from the start and you will see them in the end, however they shown in such away where their appearance does not diminish their appeal (there are a variety of troll species).The environments itself was nothing short of breathtaking, from the dark forests of Norway to the its icy mountains this movie truly takes advantage of its wondrous setting. With visuals that rivals that of movies such as Thor and Avatar it is truly a wonder how the director could have done created this movie with such a low budget. (5/5)
The Score: Like many POV movies troll hunter has no score, however the sounds they do provide are very immersive. From the whipping winds of the mountains to the subtle rustling of trees in the forests once truly feels one is the camera man in this movie. The trolls sound fantastic and their bellows and moans truly venerate the bestial yet majestic nature of their existence. (4/5)
If I were to critique this movie I would just question one of the weapons used by the troll hunter,but that is a pin prick compared to the spectacular vision that is this movie.
Final Score: 9/10
The Plot: A group of college kids begin investigating a bunch of bear killings only to discover it is a rouse used by a government issued troll hunter.
The Writing: The movie seemingly has a basic plot; A group of college kids begin to make a movie about a "bear killer" who turns out to be a government hired troll hunter. However unlike many movies that use this story (Godzilla, Predator, Any vampire hunter movie)the troll hunter played by Otto Jespersen despises his job as it is a dirty,poorly paid ,and a unappreciated life style, because of this he allows the college kids to video his job in hopes to elevate his lifestyle. The relationship he creates with the college students felt very organic and they get over the mundane "no such things as trolls" phase very quickly.This was because the script allowed us to see a troll (clearly) within the introduction of the movie, this surprised me as many movies would usually with hold this until the mid to the conclusion of the movie.Surprisingly this did not hinder the awe inspiring presence of these fantastical creatures.There is also some pseudo science that explains why trolls cannot take sunlight and why do they turn to stone etc..and for the most part this is done quite well(albeit the fact they smell Christian blood was rather to fantastical for this movie). Though this script is nothing ground breaking it is done excellently and one quickly begins to empathize with the grizzled troll hunter and passionate college students. (4/5)
The Acting: I did not know anyone in the cast but once the credits rolled I was already in love with them. The actors who played the college students were good, their leader Thomas played by Glenn Tosterud emanated charisma and leadership but was still able to convey his amazement at the existence of trolls. However the star of the show (as clearly stated by the title) is the troll hunter himself. Otto Jespersen is definitely the main attraction to this movie (second to the actual trolls) his portrayal of a secret government exterminator is nothing short of Oscar worthy. Throughout the movie he conveys the burden he carries through experience through acting, he only had one monologue in which he was able to explain the unappealing life of a troll hunter. The acting itself in this movie is worth a viewing and is definitely a strength in this movie. (5/5)
The Cinematography: This was the greatest strength the movie had in my opinion. For a movie that had a 20 million dollar budget I thought it bested movies with 5 times its given funds. The trolls look fantastic , they are not hidden by shoddy camera work or tucked away till the end. You will see a troll from the start and you will see them in the end, however they shown in such away where their appearance does not diminish their appeal (there are a variety of troll species).The environments itself was nothing short of breathtaking, from the dark forests of Norway to the its icy mountains this movie truly takes advantage of its wondrous setting. With visuals that rivals that of movies such as Thor and Avatar it is truly a wonder how the director could have done created this movie with such a low budget. (5/5)
The Score: Like many POV movies troll hunter has no score, however the sounds they do provide are very immersive. From the whipping winds of the mountains to the subtle rustling of trees in the forests once truly feels one is the camera man in this movie. The trolls sound fantastic and their bellows and moans truly venerate the bestial yet majestic nature of their existence. (4/5)
If I were to critique this movie I would just question one of the weapons used by the troll hunter,but that is a pin prick compared to the spectacular vision that is this movie.
Final Score: 9/10
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