The ‘found footage’ genre of movie making has been around for quite a while, but ever since its resurgence in the late 90’s following the success of The Blair Witch Project, many have tried to use this method, but not always with great success. Does Troll Hunter stand out from the crowd, or was the footage best left ‘undiscovered’?
In my opinion, it is a very, very short list of successful films within this genre and I was unsure whether Troll Hunter would succeed, especially after I have been so disappointed over the years. In fact, most of the time, discovering a film is a ‘found footage’ movie means I am less likely to watch it. There was something about Troll Hunter that piqued my interest, so in I went.
The film opens with some text explaining the origin of the footage and giving some context for the ensuing story, which is a standard device, but effective in this case. Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud), Johanna (Johanna Mørck) and Kalle (Tomas Alf Larsen) are three University students making a film about bear hunters, who discover that there is a ‘renegade’, unlicensed hunter, Hans (Otto Jespersen), operating outside of the normal group, and they begin to investigate him. While following him despite his objections, they find out the unexpected truth that he is a troll hunter and there is a whole world they have been completely unaware of. Against the advice and vocal objections of his co-conspirator, the local government official Finn (Hans Morten Hansen), he takes the film crew under his wing and brings them into his world. From this moment on, the three students lives are changed forever.
Directed and written by André Øvredal, this Norwegian film has been cleverly done, with many of the problematic areas of ‘found footage’ films missing. Principally, while there is a lot of handheld camera work, it is relatively stable and you do not end up seeing lots of headache inducing shots of the floor, or sky. Neither is there a lot of being scared to show the key elements, and attempting to create tension by having everything off-screen.
Having the trolls and their environment ‘up front’ means that the effects and general camera work needs to be of a certain standard, so that it doesn’t become laughable and happily, on the whole, an excellent job has been done to render everything well. Each type of troll has a character and fits in seamlessly, making it work well, blending the main characters and the CGI without too many problems. Although the effects aren’t perfect, created with a tiny budget, the filmmakers should be congratulated on the quality they have achieved.
The characters, although not explored in any depth, are well played and are believable across the board. We do not, for instance, know much about the students, what they hope to ultimately achieve on their trip or anything about their personal connections. We actually get more of a personal sense about Hans the Troll Hunter, but as he becomes essentially the main ingredient, that seems fitting! Otto Jespersen, as the Troll Hunter, puts in a great performance, as the grumpy, stubborn, world-weary hunter, and should be seen in more things.
Plot-wise, we are in familiar territory, following a standard route, but along the way there are numerous touches that make for some more interesting twists and turns. Øvredal has managed to include several aspects of Norwegian folklore, which lends an authenticity to the characters reactions and adds depth overall. He has also included some political points, such as the expansion of power lines through the countryside of Norway, and these are an interesting addition for both Norwegians and foreigners alike, as we can all see the struggle between nature and technology in our own countries.
As I stated before, going into Troll Hunter, I was a little skeptical, but it definitely won me over. It has a far more cleverly put together feel than most ‘found footage’ movies and isn’t horribly derivative; while there are some nods to previous films, such as Man Bites Dog (saying what that is would be a plot spoiler!), it is original enough for this not to be a problem. Inventive, funny, intriguing, and clever, I would recommend you give it a go, whether a fan of the genre or not.