Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
After the monstrous Bergens invade Troll Village, Princess Poppy, the happiest Troll ever born, and overly-cautious, curmudgeonly outcast Branch set off on a journey to rescue her friends. Their mission is full of adventure and mishaps, as this mismatched duo try to tolerate each other long enough to get the job done.
Trolls is a colorful, energetic animated film built on a familiar odd-couple adventure formula with a predictable redemption arc and a happiness-is-a-choice moral. The plot is thin and formulaic, hitting well-worn beats without much surprise. The voice cast (Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake) brings genuine charm and energy, lifting the material above average. The animation is visually inventive with a felt-craft aesthetic and vibrant palette that distinguishes it somewhat, landing above average visually. Novelty is limited — the jukebox musical approach with licensed pop hits was becoming a trend, and the underlying story is derivative of countless mismatched-hero animated films. The ending resolves neatly but unsurprisingly, with little earned emotional weight beyond the catchy songs.