Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling be damned) and his family meet many odd individuals after moving into a new apartment building, but none as odd as the Troll that has taken over their young daughter, Wendy. Using the guise of innocent Wendy the Troll makes his way into the tenants apartments and using a magic ring to infect people, turns them into pods which burst a piece of his dimension that envelopes the apartment transforming it into an enchanted forest of trickery. Troll was followed by what is infamously known as the worst movie ever made Troll II, and that films growing popularity since it’s online critical slagging has stolen the thunder of Troll 1. In the right setting Troll is nearly as much terrible fun as Troll II, everything about it is joyously outdated. The effects are heavily achieved through mascot like costumes and puppetry that at times look really quite good and then other times can be the exact opposite, but that just adds to the charm of the movie. The most outdated aspect of the film is easily in the friendships the Troll Wendy seeks out in the building. Maybe we as a race have become too cynical of one another given the monstrously sick people the media spoon feeds us daily and thats why seeing a little girl invite herself into a bachelor pad where a man just minutes before struck out getting seconds out of a one night stand just feels completely wrong. And it doesn’t stop there, the number of single men in this apartment out weigh the couples, making most scenarios develop through what looks to be Chris Hansen’s (To Catch a Predator) worst nightmare. Knowing this flick was not going to be nearly as legendary as the awesome Troll II, I was somewhat dreading watching it. Troll won me over more than I expected with it’s easily recognizable cast and B movie charm.
