7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A group of students investigates a series of mysterious bear killings, but learns that there are much more dangerous things going on. They start to follow a mysterious hunter, learning that he is actually a troll hunter.
Starring: Otto Jespersen, Glenn Erland Tosterud, Johanna Mørck, Tomas Alf Larsen, Urmila Berg-DomaasHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 22% |
Foreign | 16% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Norwegian: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
48kHz, 24-bit DTS-HD MA for both Norwegian & English.
English, English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
America is too young and was born too close to the Industrial Revolution to have developed a system of folklore—science and technology have a natural tendency to squelch superstition—so, in a way, I’m always slightly jealous of cultures that have kickass living myths and legends. Case in point: Scandinavia, where pagan tales of trolls and giants have survived the medieval influx of Christianity and, later, the takeover of technological progress and reason. There’s still a reverence for the lore, and maybe even some small pockets of genuine belief. In 2009, a Vanity Fair article on Iceland’s economic collapse reported on the Alcoa aluminum company’s difficulties in erecting a new plant: “Before Alcoa could build its smelter it had to defer to a government expert to scour the enclosed plant site and certify that no elves were on or under it.” I want that job. There have even been incidences of highways being diverted around huge outcroppings of rock so as not to disturb the trolls potentially slumbering there in disguise. Fiscally irresponsible? Sure. Irrational? Absolutely. Still kind of cool? Hell yes. Troll Hunter, an amusing new mockumentary from Norway, takes this one step further and asserts that the smelly, lumbering giants really do exist out in the country’s unpopulated wilds.
The Troll Hunter
Troll Hunter is supposed to look like footage a bunch of college kids shot out in the middle of nowhere on a prosumer digital camera, so this probably isn't going to be the sharpest, cleanest, most colorful Blu-ray you've set your eyes on this year. That said, the film's 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer looks faithful; any issues here can stem back to way the film was shot. The most noticeable trait is that noise levels spike pretty drastically during all of the dark, nighttime exterior scenes, although this overly gritty look is to be expected. The scenes shot in daylight or bright interiors, however, look excellent, with nearly no noise at all. You can break down every attribute of the picture quality this way: Black levels? A bit crushing in the dark but spot-on during the day. Color? A little weak at night but strong and saturated—and realistic looking—out in the sun. Sharpness? Has a tendency to go slightly soft in the hectic nighttime troll hunts, but is very revealing during the day, exhibiting fine facial and clothing textures. Etc. I think the image looks wonderful considering what it's supposed to look like, so there are no real problems here. I'm certain the Blu-ray edition bests the DVD in every way.
Going along with the whole "found footage" aesthetic, you wouldn't expect the film's Norwegian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track to be particularly immersive or involving; after all, the audio was supposedly recorded with a single sound engineer holding a shotgun mic. But this is another instance where the movie throws strict realism to the wind and indulges in some sound design that just wouldn't be possible from spur-of-the-moment field recordings. And the film is better for it. The first half of Troll Hunter is fairly quiet and dialogue heavy, but as soon as the team starts to encounter the tree-snapping, rock-crushing giants, the audio kicks in wonderfully. The rear channels are used to great effect during the chase/fight/hide sequences, from the sounds of troll grunts and breathing in the rears—sneaking up or circling around you—to the crack and swish of underbrush and severed branches. You'll also hear some quiet outdoorsy ambience in several scenes. There's no score, obviously, and the film doesn't need one; it has plenty of energy and emotion on its own. Vocals are almost always clean-sounding, and the disc includes optional English, English SDH, English Narrative, and Spanish subtitles in easy-to-read lettering. There's also an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio dub, but you'll want to stay away from that.
Troll Hunter is yet another entry in the now nearly exhausted shaky-cam found footage subgenre, but it's worth checking out, especially if you're into Norse folklore. (I've read that director Chris Columbus' production company has picked up the U.S. remake rights, and this sounds like a terrible idea—there simply isn't an equivalent mythology in America.) As usual, Magnolia has delivered a solid Blu-ray presentation, and there are a few fun bonus features too. Recommended.
2017
Original Unrated Cut
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[•REC]⁴: Apocalypse / [•REC]⁴: Apocalipsis
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