If the onset of colder weather and the stresses of booking flights and sorting out presents for the festive season are giving you the blues, then suggest a uic jaunt to your local ultiple to catch Trolls is the perfect antidote.
There is zero subtlety at play here in this happy-clappy jamboree, but if you don’t get at least some enjoyment out of Trolls then you’re probably dead inside. Admittedly, at times it feels like it has glitter running through its veins and is so sweet that it’s amazing the audience don’t get diabetes.
However, if you let the cynicism and go, there is a lot to love. Trolls comes from the creators of the brilliant and classic Shrek. Both movies have their heart in a similar place and have similar themes of friendship, family, love and positive self-image but Shrekll felt less like it was making a beeline for your merchandise dinars.
The movie is basically about the enthusiastic and almost freakishly positive Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick), the leader of the Trolls, and the grumpy, negative Branch, (Justin Timberlake), who set off on an adventure to rescue a group of Trolls who have been captured by Chef, a Bergen. Bergens are large, miserable creatures that can only achieve happiness for a brief moment by consuming a Troll.
The voice cast is as impressive as it is large. I can only squeeze a few names into the box above, and it feels almost criminal to leave out Zooey Deschanel, James Corden, John Cleese, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and more. It really is an eclectic mix of recognisable talent from the arts world.
While the quality is high and, thanks to a sharp and very clever script, there are some great performances that deliver some solid, hard belly laughs, it does at times feel like there are a few too many characters. The whole thing just feels like it needs a bit more room to breathe.
This is a musical in parts though, and in between the heartfelt dialogue and all the jokes, which are an appealing mix of simple visual gags and cleverly-crafted complex ones, there is what seems to be a relentless stream of original and well-known songs that span most genres and artists from Simon and Garfunkel and Diana Ross to Cyndi Lauper and Lionel Richie with a splash of Gorillaz.
Parents beware, if you take you children to see this then you will have to get used to the tracks being played on repeat as the soundtrack album will sell like hotcakes!
Perhaps Trolls’ biggest success is that despite the stuffed cast and plethora of characters, it manages to not feel messy, contrived or dumbed down. This is a smart movie in many ways and it ll stuffed with pop culture references and a sickly sweetness that, like your favourite treat, you know you shouldn’t carry on with but can’t get enough.
Overall, solid laughs, a surprisingly tight script and a concrete direction keep the crazy train that is Trolls on the tracks and moving along nicely. While some studios are desperately trying to role their films in glitter to make them sparkle, Trolls manages to shine brightly in its own right. Expect this to become the kids’ new favourite franchise before long.
Showing in: Cineco, Seef II, Wadi Al Sail, Saar, Al Jazeera, Dana Cineplex, Novo, Mukta A2
