Some of the things I really enjoyed about this film were its roots in norwegian folklore. There are tips-of-the-hat to the billy goats gruff, turning to stone, and the verse "Fe Fi Fo Fum, I smell the blood of a christian man" - which is woven into the plot extremely well. The team also did a really great job in the design of the trolls based on the popular dolls found in Norway, but on a much larger, grander and more frightening scale.
Science is also brought in to explain why the trolls are acting so strangely and why they have physical reactions to sunlight. Evolutionary biology is involved when decribing their traits. There are no loose ends when it comes to the trolly details, which is refreshing. It's too common that movies will take a "let's not explain it and maybe no one will ever ask" storytelling approach. Norway, you got your shit covered.
My favourite scene? Any scene with the trolls. They're so well constructed and so captivating, they do a great job of envoking awe and fear. When the film crew agrees to do whatever Hans, the troll hunter, instructs them to, they find themselves covered in an extremely foul-smelling "troll stench" to keep their human scent covered. Watching their reactions to the smell is enough to know that this is not a situation you'd like to be in. The format of the film is the perfect way of introducing the audience to the fantastical elements, the more the film crew learns, the more the viewer learns. Seeing their initial terror and exuberance when they discover that trolls are real is enough to pull the viewer into those emotions. Wonderful performances from every cast member as well. I enjoy watching foreign horror and fantasy films - not recognizing any of the actors is a great way to really attach to the characters and the performances.
All in all, a great and entertaining movie, and a fantastic find from a wise friend.
