TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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JAGzilla
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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

Post by JAGzilla »

Sick! I'm off work tomorrow, too. I'll definitely give it a watch if I get time!
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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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And I did, in fact, get time. Ahead be SPOILERS, so proceed with caution.


All right, solid effort! Generic in many respects, very much of its time, openly takes strong inspiration from every American giant monster movie since GINO, but still comes out with its own distinct flavor. I like it.

The parallels with American movies are glaringly (probably intentionally) obvious, but I think it definitely took the Japanese tradition into account, too. Our group of main characters (scientists, a politician, a soldier) could have been straight out of a Honda movie, people from different walks of life pooling their resources and cooperating for the greater good. The military setup scene had that classic feel to it, too, and the battle didn't pull any punches. I really liked the use of troll-specific weaknesses in the military plans. Helicopters carrying church bells or surrounding the monster with floodlights to turn it to stone are right up there with any wacky strategy in a Godzilla movie. Very glad the filmmakers were willing to have fun like that.

The troll himself was a good monster, powerful and dangerous yet sympathetic and full of personality. There was a lot of King Kong in him, obviously, but he had enough quirks of his own. He isn't against humanity overall, and even protects a kid at one point, but specifically hates Christians. That was an interesting move for a story about faith and belief to make. I'd have to see it again and look more closely, but I guess the intention was that we should put our faith in what we can see, in people, in nature, in what we feel is right, rather than looking to God for guidance. A bold choice for a blockbuster, and one that will hurt its mass appeal. Respectable, though.

It's also interesting that the characters spend the whole movie debating matters of belief and ethics, making all kinds of strong choices, and none of it matters in the end. Even the kaiju is ultimately powerless in the face of the Sun. Nature does what it's going to do regardless of what we believe or decide. There's an appropriate message for the 2020s if I've ever seen one.
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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

Post by DynomikeGojira »

Just finished watching this, untimely I thought it was a pretty good movie with likeable characters. Agreed with JAGzilla definitely alot of inspiration from other monster films but in a fun sorta way. Definite recommend.

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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

Post by gottatalktothefake »

Felt like a rehash of other kaiju movies. Barley any originality from it at all. Which for a kaiju movie about a troll that’s pretty sad. Aside from the effects this was pretty poor all around.

I was going to say I was surprised you guys like it, but at times it feels like standards sort of melt away around here as long as Godzilla isn’t involved.
GojiSquid wrote: Tue Oct 31, 2023 7:58 am TBF if a movie has a sex scene without a monster mash, then is it really a graveyard smash?

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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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I liked it, but I'm somewhere between Gottotalktothefake and Jagzilla. On one hand, it's refreshing to see a competent giant monster flick that isn't a mockbuster, and isn't some Godzilla/Gamera film. The effects were good, and while the military scenes weren't incredibly (way smaller scale than what we're used to), the action did the job. I guess I would've liked just to see a little more of tanks getting attacked, but then again that's not what this film necessarily was.

I thought the film did a good job at establishing it's own "Norwegian Identity". I liked the details of the Christian blood, the church bells, and it's weakness from light. I also liked the inciting incident being oil drilling, or something like that. The reveal towards the end with the "Hall of the Troll King" is one I wish we got a little more detail on, but that also really added to it's identity. I liked it the most actually when it was in the countryside. I loved looking at the beauty of Norway and the nature. Really pretty film to look at up until the end.

The monster itself was cool. It's been a while since we've seen a distinctive humanoid monster, and the Troll certainly did that. It's bipedal, but sets itself well enough from Kong, with it's longish tail, rocky exterior, and aforementioned special abilities and flair. I wouldn't mind seeing the monster make a comeback, maybe with more abilities. I like the tragedy around it and it's hinted personality.

I don't really think any of the characters were that interesting or memorable, but I think they were sufficient. I liked the dynamic with the main daughter and crazy poppa, but that was nearly identical to the Brodys in G14. Godzilla Vs. Kong despite not having the most engaging human characters, certainly had a lot of memorable moments and heart. The characters here, with the exception of the lead, had very little to do or reveal, beyond one of them being a Trekkie. We don’t get to see them outside of this disaster, and there’s few moments where we really get a moment to pause with them. However, they don’t actively detract from from the film, so again, I can’t despise it.

I don't dislike it as much as GTTTF, but it really did remind me of a LOT of Kaiju films. It clearly takes a lot from Gamera vs. Barugon, Godzilla (1998), Godzilla (2014), Shin Godzilla, and Kong Skull Island. Every time it does something decent, I'm reminded of something done much better (compare Godzilla 1998's taxi chase to this, or Kong SI's helicopter scene to this). But, the Kaiju genre usually borrows and recycles a lot from itself, so I can't hate it. That being said, most of these films do something much better than this: establish the threat better. Minus attack soldiers that directly pissed it off, and possible accidental deaths/destruction, the titular Troll didn't seem like an evil creature or major threat to Norway (or the world's existence). Godzilla movies, like G14 or Shin, do a very good job at showing how if these things are left to their own devices, they will quickly take over and destroy the world. I never felt very threatened or tension for the world as I did when it was revealed that Shin was continually evolving and getting stronger. I felt like the Troll would've just gotten to the capital of Oslo, probably destroyed the Palace, and that would've been it. Maybe if I'm from Norway I'd care more, but I think an integral part of a giant monster film is establishing why said creature if such a major threat. It really would've benefited with just a little more purposeful destruction, which could've been done without jeopardizing the sympathy at the end.

Overall, I think this was a decent edition to the genre. It's not an instant classic, nor does it evolve the genre, but it's a welcome addition as a very genre oriented film with a Norwegian twist. It's worth one watch for any genre enthusiast, or anyone that just wants to watch a film on a rainy day.

But as I say this, I’m just thinking of Toho/MV/ other monster films that do everything better than this. Want a movie with a sympathetic and misunderstood humanoid monster going on a rampage? Watch Frankenstein vs Baragon. Want a movie with fun military strategies repeatedly thrown at a monster? Watch Gamera vs Barugon or Mothra Vs Godzilla. Want a modern epic with militaries trying to stop monster(s) in a situation that is increasingly getting more and more desperate, watch Godzilla 2014 or Shin Godzilla. I hate being like this, but it’s unfortunately true: everything this does decently, another film has done expertly.
Last edited by LSD Jellyfish on Sat Dec 03, 2022 7:15 am, edited 3 times in total.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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gottatalktothefake wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 8:21 pm Felt like a rehash of other kaiju movies. Barley any originality from it at all. Which for a kaiju movie about a troll that’s pretty sad. Aside from the effects this was pretty poor all around.

I was going to say I was surprised you guys like it, but at times it feels like standards sort of melt away around here as long as Godzilla isn’t involved.
Very understandable. I won't lie, I'd be more critical if this was an American or Japanese production. Because it's Norway's first stab at a straightforward kaiju movie, though, I'm willing to be very lenient. They aren't a country really known for their film industry, so far as I'm aware, and I think they've only put out a handful of big action blockbusters like this so far. So I have no problem cutting them slack; everyone has to start somewhere, and aping existing successful examples is the obvious way to get off the ground. That, and I got the impression that the lack of originality was an artistic choice, to a point. The whole thing felt like a love letter to American (and Japanese to a lesser extent) monster/scifi/fantasy movies, loaded down with really obvious references the way it was. The filmmakers seemed to be trying to mention all of their favorite franchises. And kaiju movies are very trope-heavy to begin with, so including all these familiar scenes, character types, and concepts is an expected norm. If you're making your first kaiju film, 'comfy bog standard familiarity' is a logical bar to reach for, and indeed what we often see from countries or studios tossing their hat into the ring. Yongary, Gappa, Gorgo. They typically aren't trying to reinvent the wheel.

Added in 1 hour 37 minutes 35 seconds:
LSD Jellyfish wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 6:47 am That being said, most of these films do something much better than this: establish the threat better. Minus attack soldiers that directly pissed it off, and possible accidental deaths/destruction, the titular Troll didn't seem like an evil creature or major threat to Norway (or the world's existence). Godzilla movies, like G14 or Shin, do a very good job at showing how if these things are left to their own devices, they will quickly take over and destroy the world. I never felt very threatened or tension for the world as I did when it was revealed that Shin was continually evolving and getting stronger. I felt like the Troll would've just gotten to the capital of Oslo, probably destroyed the Palace, and that would've been it. Maybe if I'm from Norway I'd care more, but I think an integral part of a giant monster film is establishing why said creature if such a major threat. It really would've benefited with just a little more purposeful destruction, which could've been done without jeopardizing the sympathy at the end.
I agree that the stakes never felt high, but there's a good reason for that. The Troll himself is based more on Kong than Godzilla, an intelligent, social, humanoid monster, the last of his kind, a former king alone in a world where he no longer has a place. Like Kong, he's more victim than villain, and doesn't really mean any harm, but he's big, destructive, and has to be stopped. The stakes and tone in the end felt fairly in line with the typical Kong movie.
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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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I’m enjoying it so far, it’s shot well, the Suit, the Dad, the Paleontologist, and the Captain are all really good actors with what they’re given. I’m picturing the dad as what Bryan Cranstons character would’ve been if he’d survived to see himself right, mixed with the Step-Brothers guy from Kong Skull Island.

The monster is very well done, the film is going to need to significantly decline for me to say it’s not a good monster movie. I don’t understand the comparison with other monster movies besides 2014 and KSI, and if that’s the mixture we’re getting I don’t particularly see reason to dislike it

I’m skipping over spoilers until the movies over though, I’ve just reached the part where the military fires on the Troll for the first time.

Added in 20 minutes 12 seconds:
I’m liking that the characters aren’t stupid, they’re using common sense.

The first Night battle was done well, more Skull Island influence, but the combination with Norwegian culture is shining throughout.

The Norwegian Fair sequence was really good, obviously felt very Skull Island, but it came off as a direct homage done with enough to differentiate it from Kong. (More of that Norwegian goodness, with the Bell chimes instead of weaponry)

The direct references to Kong and Godzilla are nice to hear as well.

Added in 21 minutes 42 seconds:
Soldier speech was cliche but well delivered.

The Troll chase scene with the skull on the car is pretty interesting.

Added in 16 minutes 53 seconds:
The soundtrack is really well done honestly, especially that credits remix of the orchestra that eludes me right now.

The ending was tragic, unique, and if they hadn’t of made it seem like he was the first eruption of a monster ever, I would see this fitting very well in its own little niche puzzle piece within the Monsterverse.

I can agree with Jagzilla and LSD, bc while it’s unique as an entity, much of what was shown, we’d *kind of* seen already. As I said through out, there were many elements I took as homages as opposed to retreads, and the religious elements mixed with the Norwegian culture was really cool to see considering we’ve never gotten it from a kaiju movie from my knowledge.
Last edited by _JNavs_ on Wed Dec 07, 2022 4:41 am, edited 5 times in total.
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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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Troll is currently Netflix's most viewed foreign language film.
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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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I don't want to be spoiled, but can that be seen by a seven years old child? She saw the original Kong, a lot of showa and heisei godzi, all the JP movies (to name a few) thx! 😁

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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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Lecontinentperdu wrote: Thu Dec 15, 2022 12:40 am I don't want to be spoiled, but can that be seen by a seven years old child? She saw the original Kong, a lot of showa and heisei godzi, all the JP movies (to name a few) thx! 😁
Yeah, no problem. It's a standard monster blockbuster, nothing excessively violent, scary, or otherwise mature about it.
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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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Thank you 🥹

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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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Just saw it. Really good for a throwback to 90's romps. They know their Spielberg well. Obvious takes like the glass of water, less obvious ones like the giant switches that recalls the "bringing electricity back", all from JP. Seems like a straight faced parody at times (the Braveheart soldier scene that came out of nowhere!), and the myths/nature vs the christianity/technology opposition is quite plain and simple, but thats part of the charm. There sure are hints to monsterverse, but the MV in itslef is really nothing new (beside the "verse" thing) so I don't mind. All in all: a simple and well done love letter to the subgenre :)

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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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Well that's a surprise. I had the impression the original made little or no impact, but those figures in the article say otherwise. The most popular non-English Netflix movie of all time? I admittedly don't know what the competition is, but that sounds significant. Wow! A kaiju movie not from Japan or America takes off and gets a sequel. That doesn't happen often.

There doesn't seem to be any info yet. Maybe the troll will fight some other monster out of Norse mythology. There are plenty of options available. I guess a flashback movie depicting the ancient war between humans and trolls is possible, too.
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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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Can't say I'm too excited for a sequel, but I'll definitely watch it when it comes out. Almost 10 months after the first (and only) time I saw it, I haven't had the inclination to rewatch it. Reading over my thoughts from before, I remember some great aspects of it, but wish it did more. I'm hoping the sequel ups the action and continues to give it more of a distinctive tone and personality rather than aping other monster trends.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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I wouldn't be against a kaiju battle. RAIDS AGAIN TIME!

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Re: TROLL! Norwegian Giant Monster Movie

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Yeah Fenir or the Midgard Serpent would be great mythological creatures to bring in.

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