Netflix's Troll divides movie critics and fans straight down the middle

04 January 2023 , 11:00

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Troll is proving an enjoyable 'stomp' for many (Image: Courtesy of Netflix)

Netflix's new movie Troll is certainly proving a divisive beast.

While some feel it's a monster smash, others have deemed it a giant load of trash.

The eagerly-anticipated Norwegian film concerns intrepid palaeontologist and her folklore professor dad as they delve into the appearance of some unnervingly massive footprints.

And it isn't long before they discover a colossal troll is on its way to Oslo - so they need to stop it from wreaking havoc pretty sharpish.

It's certainly an intriguing premise, and one that's captured many viewers' hearts.

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Troll currently boasts an impressive 83 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes - with one reader calling it 'entertaining and scary'.

But IMDB users are generally less sure about it, giving it a humdrum 5.9, with one viewer blasting it as 'laughably stupid'.

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Ine Marie Wilmann as Nora Tidemann in Troll (Courtesy of Netflix)

'The final act is so affecting' - what critics are saying:

: "Despite obvious flaws, Troll should also be commended for its environmentalist ethos. The first Godzilla is remembered as a manifestation of nuclear warfare, a beast that destroys the world after being awakened by human hands. Troll , however, updates the message to reflect modern concerns that human greed will become our collective doom as we destroy nature and seek control over a world that might become too eroded to sustain human life."

Bloody Disgusting : "The feature springs to life anytime the troll graces the screen. While (director) Uthaug has an eye for visually interesting destruction set pieces and the troll’s visual effects are effective, it’s the way the filmmaker engenders empathy for his beast that becomes the film’s biggest asset. The more we discover about the troll, the more tragic its story becomes.

"There’s a melancholic subtext to be mined here about the ways in which old folklore and traditions get lost to time, eroding culture in the process. It’s that sincerity that makes the final act so affecting."

: "Screenwriter Espen Aukan conjures a simple plan of mayhem featuring a building-sized troll on the loose, hammering out basic characterizations to carry the human perspective while Uthaug deals with visual effects and scenes of mayhem. Troll is meant to easily play all over the world, delivering broad strokes and big threats, and it connects as intended. It’s not quite up to supermonster standards, but the viewing experience is breezy while also utilizing local culture and fairy tale history to complicate a dire situation of survival."

Decider said the film "chugs along uninspired, rife with cheesy one-liners, many references to classic sci-fi movies, ho-hum CG effects and nothing better than a few serviceable action sequences."

From left are Mads Sjøgård Pettersen as Captain Kristoffer Holm, Ine Marie Wilmann as Nora and Kim S. Falck-Jørgensen as Andreas Isaksen in Troll (Courtesy of Netflix)

'As a Norwegian I want to apologise for this movie' - social media reaction

Kinshuk.rm on Youtube posted : "I truly enjoyed the film. The storyline, performance, and editors' incredible CGI work all came together perfectly. It's absolutely worth seeing because of the excellent thrill, suspense, and other elements of the film".

Gary Dodd on Youtube said: "I really enjoyed it, iy was so much better then I expected. The effects were great, it was well cast and it had incredible action and a lot of heart. It was thrilling throughout, never let up and even though it was a monster action flick the humans - unlike Godzilla v Kong or the Transformer movies - didn't feel like side characters. Everyone should watch this as it so good."

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Crysalis 0.0 on Youtube said: "This movie was amazing, hoping for part 2!"

John Serber posted on IMDB: "Every single scene in Troll is cribbed wholesale from other movies, and very few of those other movies are any good."

Pinnje wrote on IMDB: "As a Norwegian I want to apologise for this movie. It is terrible and it does not hold a candle to the successful, witty and charming movie Trollhunter. If you are expecting a movie of that calibre, save your time and watch something else".

Have YOU seen Troll yet? Let us know what you thought of it below

Paul Speed