Stepping away from the sci-fi/superhero blockbusters that are littering this summer, I was all too anxious to get to a theater for the Norwegian, low-budget fantasy mockumentary TrollHunter. Made for a modest three million, the POV-style film's suspense and wonderfully downplayed special effects will keep you locked to your chair.
TrollHunter (or Trolljegeren in Norwegian) has a fairly basic premise. A collegiate film crew is tracking down the whereabouts of a supposed poacher who has been illegally killing bears. After repeated attempts to interview the man, (expertly played by Norwegian comedian/actor Otto Jespersen) the trio of students follows his movements for several days, leading them out in the middle a dark Norwegian forest one night. After losing sight of him, the crew is shocked when the man runs back into frame and can only muster the cry of "Troll!" It is then that they discover the man's true occupation: he is a government-funded operative charged with hunting and containing the Norwegian trolls of legend. After that the mockumentary chronicles the hunter as he investigates a series of inter-connected incidents that leads him to a confrontation with the most dangerous troll of all.
What isn't to love about that plot? Loose as it is, it leaves plenty of leeway for the film to take you on a tour of Norway's gorgeous landscapes as well as its folklore, which it borrows from liberally. TrollHunter takes the troll and twists into a real life mammal, complete with some of its trademark characteristics. Turning into stone when exposed to sunlight and smelling the blood of a Christian are just a few of the traditional traits they apply to the film versions of these fantastical creatures. They avoid making them hokey or childish at any point, instead focusing on the extreme danger they can pose when in the proper setting.
Obviously, a movie based on a man that hunts trolls is going to have moments of levity. However, they were far fewer than I had expected. While it doesn't take itself too seriously, the film doesn't let you move past the inherent fear of the unknown which could be lurking around any corner. If these characters couldn't relax, neither could I. As characters, none the film crew is given much depth, which sadly may detract from any emotional investment on the viewer's part, as aside from the troll hunter himself there are only a few other named roles.
In regards to the trolls, they're certainly a treat at which to look. Coming in a variety of forms and sizes, the Norwegian creatures are given a decent scientific explanation (relative to other movies of TrollHunter's ilk). While some of the trolls the crew encounters are seen through slightly fuzzy night vision, any clear shot of the trolls is always a good one. Not cartoony in the slightest, the trolls are realized with a gritty, almost prehistoric nature. (Think the trolls from Lord of the Rings trilogy.) At no point in the movie will you find yourself saying "That looks dumb." And in a creature feature, that's a tremendous compliment.
Without a advertising campaign, a bankable American star or flashy effects, TrollHunter illustrates some of the best that foreign films have to offer. Norway's deep, immersive national mythology lends itself to films of this genre, keeping it based in a legitimate (if still make-believe) mythology. If you can find a theater playing TrollHunter, make to sure to buy yourself a ticket. It's an effing fun ride.
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