Trolls

I wanted to make sure that when I saw "Trolls" the first time, it wasn't some fluke created by my low expectations going into the theater. This second viewing proves it. “Trolls” has proved itself to be one of the most unexpected pleasures I’ve had in the theater this year.

The perpetually happy Trolls spend their days singing, dancing and hugging. They have been living peacefully since their escape from the clutches of the Bergens, large ogre-like creatures who don’t know how to sing, can’t wrap their minds around the concept of hugging and can only achieve happiness by –get this- devouring trolls in a yearly celebration they call Trollstice! When Princess Poppy (Anna Kendrick) throws a big party and accidentally causes her best friends to be captured by the Bergens’ Chef (voiced by Christine Baranski), she and sarcastic, antisocial Branch (Justin Timberlake) are the captives’ only hope.

“Is this plot seriously about a bunch of little creatures who have to rescue their friends from being eaten alive? ” Yes, yes it is. What I like about this picture is that a lot of its humor only hits you after the camera moves onto the next scene. That kind of humor is right up my alley and I think older children will respond well to it too. Younger children, they'll just be happy to see the various colors and songs that pepper this animated picture courtesy of DreamWorks. Throughout “Trolls” there’s a constant juxtaposition. The film looks great. It’s colourful, full of sparkles and hugs, neon colours, fuzzy textures and wildly animated characters that are just so excited to be there you kind of want to reach into the screen and strangle them! The film is fully aware of this. Characters are constantly under threat of being eaten by the Bergens and by all sorts of puppet-like spiders, wooly-looking snakes and other unnamable monsters that would be adorable if they weren't carnivorous. This movie is about a bunch of happy characters that live in a dangerous world. It’s like they’re so optimistic they’ve become stupid and Branch is more than happy to point out that Princess Poppy’s carefree attitude is likely to get her and her friends dismembered and tossed into a salad. It’s a punchline that’s very effective because you don’t ever really see it coming. The visuals and the songs are so good they make you forget what you’re watching.

This is a creative film. Yes, it’s based on a previously-established property, but compared to something like “Angry Birds”, which I felt simply reached into the box of “generic plots” and pulled something out at random to make a buck, this film, written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger has a distinct identity all its own. Part of this is due to the terrific soundtrack, which features many favorites and some wonderful new tunes. I personally would’ve liked to have seen only exclusive songs, but whenever you hear a familiar tune, it’s appropriate for the scenario. While the film isn't very deep, it makes up for this by staying clear of pop culture references completely.

I foresee this picture becoming a favorite at home where you’ll be able to listen to your favorite songs over and over. Waiting for DVD & Blu-ray would be a mistake, however. This picture is best seen on the big screen and in 3D. Against my best judgment, I’ve only seen it flat. I’ve seen enough movies with and without the 3D and at this point, I can just tell. This film’s visuals pop because of the colors and because of what it'll do when you’ll be wearing those glasses.

If you’re avoiding “Trolls” because you think it’ll be filled with irritating cutesiness amidst visuals that although good, ultimately amount to nothing, you couldn’t be more wrong. This film avoids being overly syrupy by pointing out to you how ludicrous a civilization of happy trolls would be. It looks great, it’ll leave you feeling happy and it delivers plenty of great melodies. Most important of all, it’s fun for the young and the old. If you’re a kid, you won’t second guess that the Bergens want to eat trolls any more than you would three little pigs tricky a wolf into dropping down a chimney into a boiling pot. Adults will be able to appreciate the sly bits of dark humor thrown in. Everyone will appreciate the visuals and the songs. When you see "Trolls", stick around for the end credits: there’s a scene about midway through. (2D Theatrical version on the big screen, November 17, 2016)