The new DreamWorks film, “Trolls,” not only surpassed my expectations, but also impressed me with the unique way it transformed fairy tale cliches into a totally unique storyline.
To be fair, I didn’t anticipate much when I walked into the theater and put my 3-D glasses on. My expectations were relatively low because I’m usually never as impressed with DreamWorks productions as I am with Pixar films. On top of that, I have become jaded with the way kids’ movies tend to have identical themes with different animation.
When the film opened, I was immediately impressed with the use of traditional storybook tropes repurposed in a filmic perspective. The theme of “living happily ever after,” is the main motif strung throughout the film, as with other folk tale films.
The actual trolls portrayed within the film especially exemplify the jolly aspect of this with endless sources of positivity –– the trolls are constantly having scrapbooking, singing, and dancing parties. But when big, scary, unhappy giants called Bergens discover the trolls’ happy-go-lucky habitat, they realize that they too can be happy, but only if they eat the trolls. So to increase their optimal happiness, the Bergens create a holiday once a year to eat trolls.
As a result, the trolls find a way to escape their fate of being feasted on once a year, and they create a new community away from the Bergens. Fast forward 20 years and this is the moment viewers enter the narrative that “Trolls” takes place in.
Princess Poppy, voiced by Anna Kendrick, is in the midst of throwing a celebration for the 20th year of their freedom when the Trolls are discovered by the Bergens once again due to too much noise and lights. Poppy’s closest friends are taken by the Bergens, and her feeling of responsibility for them pushes her to leave her troll family and go save her friends.
The rest of the film follows Princess Poppy in search of her friends –– along with the grumpiest of the trolls, Branch, voiced by Justin Timberlake.
Multiple forms of animation used along their journey allow the film to differentiate itself from other animated movies. The adventure of Poppy and Branch is entwined with a type of animation that mimics the making of a scrapbook, giving viewers a feeling that they are in the story, watching troll history being made. The 3-D experience emphasizes this feeling of being physically on the journey with the two main protagonists.
This trek is where the story gains traction as not being an entirely cliched fairytale. Along their trip, Poppy and Branch run into problems of being nearly eaten by other creatures, getting lost, meeting other inhabitants of this magical world (my favorite being a hilarious talking cloud), and also butting heads.
While Poppy never loses hope as she sings her way to the Bergens, Branch seems grumpy and resigned the entire time.
When the two of them finally find their way to Bergen town, however, we see the characters shift toward each other a bit and understand one another’s perspectives more than they had before. We see Branch as he becomes less grumpy, we watch Poppy grow into having a less one-track mind, we meet new characters — namely a kind Bergen named Bridget, voiced by Zooey Deschanel — and we watch characters fall in love.
This brings about sentimental moments within the film, as well as some of the fun aspects. Popular songs are used throughout the film, sung by Timberlake, Kendrick, and Deschanel.
The singing and dancing gives way to friendships being formed, initially only between trolls and their own kind, or Bergens and their own kind. Eventually, friendships breach barriers of “troll” and “Bergen” and we see happiness as something all of them can connect to.
Engraved in this storyline was more than simple, surface-level fun, though. There was also a statement about creating friendships with those who may not be similar to us, or even nice to us initially. The moral of this story is perhaps what ultimately sets it apart from other childish animated films, and makes it important for children, parents, and college students alike to see.
Viewing two groups at odds with one another — the Bergens and the trolls — mend their relationship gives way to understanding that friendships can exist no matter how different we are.
The verdict: Generally good feelings were vibing through my body after an hour and a half of hanging with Trolls (and Bergens too).
Reach Opinion Editor Rebecca Gross at arts@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @becsgross
