TrollHunter poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Glenn Erland Trosterud, Otto Jespersen, Tomas Alf Larsen, Johanna Mørch, Hans Morten Hansen ... see more see more... , Robert Stoltenberg , Urmila Berg-Domaas , Knut Nærum , Eirik Bech , Inge Erik Henjesand , Tom Jørgensen , Benedicte Aubert Ringnes , Magne Skjævesland , Torunn Lødemel Stokkeland , Finn Norvald ?vredal , Kaja Halden Aarrestad

Shot in a vérité style, TrollHunter is the story of a group of Norwegian film students that set out to capture real-life trolls on camera after learning their existence has been covered up for years b... read more read more...y a government conspiracy. A thrilling and wildly entertaining film, TrollHunter delivers truly fantastic images of giant trolls wreaking havoc on the countryside, with darkly funny adherence to the original Norwegian folklore." -- (C) Official Site

Flixster Users

72% liked it

16,660 ratings

Critics

82% liked it

97 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 43 min.

Directed by: André Ovredal

Release Date: June 10, 2011

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: August 23, 2011

Get It:

Stats: 1,995 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Troll Hunter Troll Troll Hunter Cast Troll Hunter
Upload a Photo | View All TrollHunter Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (1,995)

  • katykern8261
    May 22, 2012
    katykern8261
    Directed (and written) by Andre Ovredal, Filmameratena A/S, 2010. Otto Jespersen, Glenn Erland Tosterud, Robert Stoltenberg, and Johanna Morck.

    Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery.

    Question: Do you believe in trolls? Yes, that is my question for this review! Well, if you don... read more't, you might believe in them after you see this "movie".

    It's been a while since I've seen a movie. I can't really say why that is but this morning I decided to watch something that a friend asked me to review a few weeks ago. Actually, I joined a website last night and someone else mentioned it so I kind of thought - 'It's Sunday; I haven't seen a movie in over a week. Why not Trollhunter?' Yes, I am serious.

    Alright, I am not sure how to describe this film and I really don't want to try. You should just see it for yourself. However, I will mention that it is a foreign film from Norway. So, there are subtitles. For the slow reader that I am, I didn't have any difficulty staying in time with this story. What a relief. I actually had to wear headphones because my laptop's speakers weren't loud enough, and I wanted to make sure I heard all the sound even though I couldn't understand a word they were saying. And the sound was pretty important to this film. Well, I found it fascinating at least.

    Trollhunter is exactly is what this movie is about - a troll hunter named Hans. A small group of students wanted to film an alleged bear poacher that received a lot of media attention. However, when the students meet Hans, they join him on his "hunt" and stumble upon an adventure they never would have imagined. The story was not scary which was my first thought when my friend mentioned the title to me. It is in fact a satire - again, I how interpreted.

    If you want to learn everything about trolls and their existence, then watch this movie. If you like watching documentaries, then Trollhunter is for you. If you want to giggle from time to time, then this is your flick. And last but not least, if you want to know how to kill trolls then by all means watch this movie - it is imperative. I found it on Netflix instant queue so if this sounds like it is right up your alley - go to Netflix right now!

    The "acting" and the "story" were pretty good but I kept noticing (and it could have been just me) there were correlations to Jaws that had me grinning.(Even though Jaws scared me for life I have seen it a few times and can't forget any of it - ever.) Let's just say Hans has this one scene that reminded me of the speech Quint gives while they are in the boat. The other movie this reminded me of was The Blair Witch Project. That's all I am going to say about that.

    Seeing the countryside of Norway was a treat as the troll hunter and the students were on their adventure, so for those of you who like to travel this might be a treat for you as well. It was breathtaking in parts especially when there weren't any ugly creatures taking the focus off the scenery.

    Now, if you are easily offended or someone who is particularly religious, specifically Christian, you might not be a fan of Trollhunter.

    You must have a sense of humor to enjoy Trollhunter and I promise this one was a fun one if you do. It was just what I needed to escape reality for a couple hours.

    My favorite part: That something actually made me smile and giggle today.

    My least favorite part: A few scenes had me gagging a bit.

    Review: PG-13
    Length: 103 minutes

    Rating: 7 out of 10
  • MidnightMadwoman
    April 25, 2012
    MidnightMadwoman
    I'm going to go ahead and say it: this is the best monster movie I have ever seen. The reason it works so well is because the filmmakers have done all their homework: they've researched their mythology, they've built their world and really hashed out, in detail, all its rules. It... read more's ingenious. Trolls! I wish I had thought of it. It's a really novel concept for a movie monster, and I loved watching Hans give the three students a tour of his job and his world. This flick is so funny and real and natural. I wish I had turned it on, not even knowing the title or the premise. "C'mere, mum. Wanna watch a documentary with me? It's a student film about bear poaching in Norway."
  • SirPant
    March 14, 2012
    SirPant
    Even though this film is a bit like a mixture of Blair Witch Project, Where the Wild things are, Jurassic Park and Rare exports, it also feels pretty unique. There are plenty of monster films about these days as there are mockumentaries, what the makers of this film have managed ... read moreto achieve brilliantly though is the perfect balance of scares and humour. The Trolls themselves look appropriately authentic to Norwegian folk tale and the final scene is as big and impressive as you'd expect from a monster film which I found have all been a let down in recent years. It's not too often these days that a film is as good as you'd hoped, especially with such a different idea. Brilliant!
  • flixsterman
    January 21, 2012
    flixsterman
    It's The Blair Witch Project meets Where the Wild Things Are. Sit back, relax and have some fun.
  • paulkoh110
    January 18, 2012
    paulkoh110
    A fun delight! Its absurd and awesome!
  • shawnewing92
    January 12, 2012
    shawnewing92
    The first-person shaky camera technique is a little overdone, but still works well for the film. I wish the trolls were more believable, and the film took a stronger plot direction. I think the bits of comedy actually hurt the film, and I would prefer the film to be more serious ... read morewith these gigantic deadly predators.
  • MrMarakai
    November 5, 2011
    MrMarakai
    First person shakey camera films have become an ideal way for budding filmmakers to make a name for themselves. To name a couple, "The Blair Witch Project" became a horror phenomenon in 1999 and "Paranormal Activity" has now become a horror franchise with consistantly reliant num... read morebers at the box office. This time the Norwegians have a go with a competently handled mythological take on the sub-genre.
    Student filmmakers Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud) and Johanna (Johanna Morch) set out to shoot a documentary about bear-hunting in Norway and trail mysterious, well-armed woodsman Hans (Otto Jesperson), whom they assume is a poacher. However, Hans turns out to be a government-sanctioned operative protecting the country from the ravages of giant trolls. Tired of secret heroism, the Troll Hunter lets the crew film his battles with monsters at great risk to themselves.
    For budgetary reasons, films of this type keep the main attraction to a minimum. However, where the aforementioned movies relied predominantly on the human drama and reactions, this also happens to deliver the special effects when it matters. The trolls are impressively done. The effects provide more than enough to leave you happy with the technical achievements but also maintain a sense of wonder. The performances are also solid and natural which help in suspending disbelief. But like most films of this type, there is too much talking and not enough action. When the action is delivered though, the confrontations with the creatures are filmed with impressive tension and excitement. The mythological angle is also a refreshing one and it's encouraging to see the Scandanavians reclaim their folklore.
    Yet another foreign language film that's due for an American remake and you can see why. The budget may be low but the film is still of a high standard.
  • itsjustme2004
    October 6, 2011
    itsjustme2004
    Give me a break! How could so many people like this ridiculous movie? If there were better imagined Trolls, maybe I would have liked it...but...they just looked retarded to me.
  • theunknownhobo
    October 5, 2011
    theunknownhobo
    I wanted to love this movie and I wasn't disappointed! Falling into a few of the handheld camera pitfalls of many other movies of its classification, Troll Hunter delivered in more ways than one, linking classic Nordic mythology together with real time video tapes that if we as a... read moren audience didn't know better, would have been very convincing indeed. Hats off to Ovredal for giving the audience a truly original take on a very tired method of film making. There was a lot of running with the camera, darkened woods and shouting in Norwegian, but if you have the patience to look past the obvious ploys to make the footage seem real, and have a talent for reading quite obscure but at times hilarious subtitles, this movie will surely not dissapoint.
  • lewiskendell
    October 4, 2011
    lewiskendell
    Ever want to like a movie more than you actually do? Trollhunter is a recent example of that kind of movie for me.

    It's an original spin on the "found footage" type of flick from Norway, which follows a trio of college students as they document the work of Hans, a troll hunter ... read moreunder the employ of the Norwegian government. The trolls are depicted here as a variation of their folk origins that fits into the real world while including things like their weakness to sunlight. The computer effects used to portray the trolls on screen are actually pretty good. You're not going to be blown away by how they look, but they're integrated into the environment well and the actors interact with them in a convincing manner.

    I can't help but appreciate Trollhunter for its originality (after all, how many movies about trolls have you seen lately?), but it just didn't captivate me the way it should have, at least until the admittedly riveting last act. The characters didn't have much of a personality to get attached to (other than Hans), and I rarely felt like they were really in peril. As I mentioned earlier, a lot of these issues disappear in the last act, but I wish the entire movie could have been as interesting to watch as the final third.

    I love the idea, but Trollhunter wasn't quite a home run for me. Still, I recommend it for anyone who's interested.

View All TrollHunter Reviews

Critic Reviews

Michael Wilmington
December 13, 2011
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Reader

The film is shot with handheld cameras in the standard mockumentary style, but the content is often hilarious, especially when the trolls show up. Full Review

Peter Howell
August 19, 2011
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

It's so steeped in troll and paranoia lore, it risks boring you with the details at times. But it also makes you more inclined to believe it, and the frights are real enough. Full Review

Roger Moore
August 8, 2011
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

It's not consistently funny or remotely scary. Full Review

Michael O'Sullivan
July 1, 2011
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

It can't seem to make up its mind about whether it wants to frighten us or make us laugh. It does a little bit of both, to be sure, but not nearly enough of either to make much of a lasting impression. Full Review

Colin Covert
June 30, 2011
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

With impressive technical credits, stunning fjord and forest locations and a winking ownership of its own absurdity, "Trollhunter" manages to be at once spooky, satirical and endearing. Full Review

Steven Rea
June 30, 2011
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

André Øvredal's enjoyably goofy scare-pic purports to offer real footage of real horror - in this case, a variety of forest and mountain trolls... Full Review

Ty Burr
June 30, 2011
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Once again, material for a great short film has been expanded to feature length at its peril and ours. Still, this is clever stuff and surprisingly engrossing on its own terms. Full Review

Robert Abele
June 24, 2011
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

A monster movie with a love for mountainous, tree-lined Scandinavian scenery and an even greater love for setting memorably ugly, hulking and destructive mythological creatures against it. Full Review

Roger Ebert
June 23, 2011
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

They spend a great deal of time roaring, bleating, squealing and snorting at a very high volume, which is, after a point, too much of a muchness. Full Review

Peter Hartlaub
June 16, 2011
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle

Successful on multiple levels, with a brisk pace, excellent location work and a strong lead performance by Norwegian comedian Otto Jespersen. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
    Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (99%)
  • Dead Snow (Død snø)
    Dead Snow (Død snø) (98%)
  • The Blair Witch Project
    The Blair Witch Project (98%)
  • Carrie
    Carrie (50%)

More Movies like TrollHunter

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Thomas: Do you think Michael Moore gave up after the first try?
    • Trolljegeren: No one here believes in God or Jesus.
    • Trolljegeren: Troll!
Submit a Fact | View All

TrollHunter : Watch Free on TV

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for TrollHunter. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All TrollHunter Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add TrollHunter to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?