Watched for the first time in preparation for TROLL 2.
Rating: B
I've always appreciated how Roar Uthaug manages to ground high-concept disasters in human emotion, so I went into TROLL hoping for that same balance applied to folklore. What we get is undeniably a patchwork of Hollywood's monster movie tropes — you can feel the DNA of GODZILLA and KING KONG in almost every beat — but Uthaug elevates the material through a distinct Norwegian atmosphere. While the narrative is formulaic and the supporting characters often fall into the trap of making frustratingly dumb decisions, the visuals are genuinely spectacular, delivering a tangible sense of scale and weight to the creature that puts many significantly more expensive blockbusters to shame.
Nevertheless, where TROLL truly succeeds for me is in its thematic resonance, which saves it from being just another creature flick. It's not merely about a monster smashing buildings; it represents a violent clash between tradition and modernization, where the industrial expansion of the present literally awakens the suppressed ghosts of the past. The film incorporates a fascinating layer of commentary regarding the Christianization of Norway, erasing pagan history and painting the creature not as a villain, but as a tragic, displaced king fighting for a home that has been paved over.
TROLL turns a familiar premise into a surprisingly emotional defense of nature and heritage, reminding us that some legends aren't meant to be conquered, but respected.
