Troll Hunter, The

Stars: Otto Jespersen. Johanna Morck, Glenn Erland Tosterud, Urmila Berg-Domaas, Thomas Alf Larsen

Director: André Ovredal

Everyone knows the old children's rhyme that includes the line 'I'm a troll, fol-de-rol, and I'll eat you for supper', But here are real-live, man-eating trolls. What's more they're armed with hand-held cameras. Help! Where are the the three billy-goats-gruff when you need them?

Actually, the goats are here, but only as bait for a troll hiding underneath a rickety, rackety bridge. Turns out that trolls have been rampaging across the mountains in the north of Norway, and the country's only troll hunter, Hans (Jesperson) is dispatched to deal with the crisis.

He's joined by a college camera crew and together they encounter a Tosserlad (that's the one with three heads) and a Ringlefinch (that's the one the goats are tethered to tempt), from whom Hans needs a blood sample to determine what's causing trolls to run amok.

Meanwhile, one of the reporters has been bitten by the Tosserlad and, though we wait for his arm to mutate into something out of Quatermass, there's a simpler explanation for his aching shoulder.

Biggest, baddest troll of all is the Jotnar. Fortunately, however, prolonged exposure to light beams makes the trolls explode or turn into stone, so we should be set for a happy ending.

Director Ovredal maintains a breathless pace and engenders plenty of suspense in what turns out to be a sort of Blair Troll Project. And, if you don't like monster movies, there's always the stunning, if rainswept Norwegian scenery. It's all modestly enjoyable, even if the 'found footage' gimmick (also used in A Lonely Place to Die and Apollo 18), has probably had its day.

David Quinlan

Norway 2010. UK Distributor: Momentum. Colour (unspecified).
102 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 2, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.

Review date: 09 Sep 2011