‘Trolls World Tour’ – Review
It’s been some time since we last ventured out to the movies and enjoyed the big-screen spectacle that only the cinema can give moviegoers. Dedicated film fans have been waiting with eager anticipation for the chance to venture back to the big screen and there’s no better movie to welcome us back than Trolls World Tour.
In an adventure that will take them well beyond what they’ve known before, Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) discover that they are but one of six different Troll tribes scattered over six different lands and devoted to six different kinds of music: Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, Pop and Rock. Their world is about to get a lot bigger and a whole lot louder.
A member of hard-rock royalty, Queen Barb (Rachel Bloom), aided by her father King Thrash (Ozzy Osbourne), wants to destroy all other kinds of music to let rock reign supreme. With the fate of the world at stake, Poppy and Branch, along with their friends — Biggie (James Corden), Chenille (Caroline Hjelt), Satin (Aino Jawo), Cooper (Ron Funches) and Guy Diamond (Kunal Nayyar) — set out to visit all the other lands to unify the Trolls in harmony against Barb, who’s looking to upstage them all.
In 2016 audiences were introduced to the all-singing, all-dancing Pop Trolls, including Princess Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) in Trolls, a smash success that lit up the screen with glitter and music and which was a guaranteed fun time for the whole family thanks to its engaging story and musical fun. Now audiences can dive back into the fun with Trolls World Tour as trouble brews in Troll World and Poppy, now Queen of the Pop Trolls and the ever-loyal Branch must embark in an epic journey across the entirety of the Trolls World to unite them and save the very existence of music. Directors Walt Dohrn and David P. Smith bring together some amazing visuals to the big screen here, and with its pop art colouring and cool animated dancing trolls are sure to delight everyone seated in the cinema!
Alongside the incredible animation and storytelling techniques of directors Walt Dohrn and David P. Smith, Trolls World Tour steps it up a notch and introduces audiences to an incredible range of new trolls, each of whom has their own devoted musical style. In addition to the Pop Trolls and Hard Rock Trolls, there are Country Trolls, Classical Trolls, Funk Trolls and EM Trolls, all of whom have their unique style, characteristics and of course musical tunes. For younger viewers, this is wonderful as it introduces a completely broad spectrum of music and sounds, and it gives Trolls World Tour plenty of flavour and spontaneity. This use of music as a worldbuilding device also keeps the film fresh and creates the perfect combination of imagery and sound. This combination of music also builds out the idea of song as narrative and Dohrn and Smith use this to their advantage in the film’s plotting and character development.
The cast of Trolls World Tour also delivers something incredibly special in this sequel. In 2016, Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake proved that they had a perfect melody and great chemistry together as Poppy and Branch, and this time they get up to even more mischief, along with strengthening their relationship in the process. But both Poppy and Branch have a thing or two to learn this time around. For Poppy, this means having to actually listen to someone else for a change and coming to the acceptance that she doesn’t have all the answer. Branch, on the other hand, has to learn to let his guard down and actually get out into the world rather than hiding away from it. Both Kendrick and Timberlake are wildly entertaining in Trolls World Tour and they sure do sparkle plenty of glitter up on screen together.
Giving support to Kendrick and Timberlake include a range of talented performers including Rachel Bloom as Queen Barb, leader of the Hard Rock Trolls and who has a megalomaniacal vision to replace all music with heavy metal and turn all the Trolls into Hard Rock zombies! Bloom has a ball as Queen Barb, and taps into her rock goddess rage as this fierce character, and did we mention that Ozzy Osbourne himself cameos as her semi-senile father King Thrash. There’s also Sam Rockwell’s Hickory, a cool and collected cowboy who comes to the aid of Poppy and Branch. Kelly Clarkson lets her voice be heard as Delta Dawn, the leader, mayor and sheriff of the Country Trolls, and she sings her heart out here with some mighty ballads. And let’s not forget Jamie Dornan’s Chaz, a smooth-jazz troll who is charted to hunt down Poppy and Branch by Queen Barb.
If Trolls World Tour does have a central theme then it is most definitely the idea of harmony, both in music and in life, and how important it is to have. Kendrick and Timberlake, alongside Dohrn and Smith and the entire cast of Trolls World Tour showcase that the world is a much more enjoyable and loving place when we celebrate the differences of those around us and unite together for a better world. This is presented out in the idea of music being generated from your very heart, and that when it does it leads to something truly spectacular. This theme of acceptance and love, as explained through music and dance is sure to leave an impact on anyone who watches Trolls World Tour, whether they be young or old.
When it comes to being back in cinemas we couldn’t think of a better film to watch than Trolls World Tour. With its wide collection of music, a brilliant fun-loving cast of characters, detailed animation and love-filled message, this one is sure to be a hit with every member of the family. So go on and head into your local cinema, because this one’s a real treat.
Image: Universal Pictures
