A Humorous and Memorable Adventure: A Review of Troll 2 (1990)

Oh Rob, believe it or not, I haven’t even seen the first Troll film so now I’m going to have to track down both films and watch them. Stay tuned for my edit to this answer.

November 8, 2023 - Edit

I did the unthinkable and watched Troll 2 last night before even seeing Troll 1.

Honestly, I probably passed over this movie so many times while being in a video rental store because it just looked bad so I never gave this film a second thought until now.

Where Do I Begin?

Let’s start with something my dad used to say: “The truth is funnier than fiction” so with that, I will state Troll 2, distributed by “Epic Productions,” is so bad it’s Epic.

From Awkward Camera Angles to Memorable Moments

How is it possible that I knew nothing about this film or even this scene? Or even the follow-up scene with the belt adjustment? This moment made you think Joshua was going to get more than a scolding. The awkward camera angles and extreme close-ups are just one of those things that make you think this is a perfect film for MST3K (Mystery Science Theater 3000).

The Acting and Other Elements

The acting is, well, if you’re reading this, you already know. Everything is just so over the top with the film. It has leftover material from the middle of the 1980s used in 1990.

Favorite Characters

My favorite characters are Joshua, this poor kid who was put through hell in this 90-minute movie. And of course, how could I not like Deborah Reed as Creedence Leonore Gielgud? She was the Poison Ivy of Troll 2 seven years before Uma Thurman was the real Poison Ivy in Batman and Robin.

The Concept and Its Visualization

I actually like this film’s concept that there is something in the food. As with most of my reviews, I try to stay away from talking about the film's three acts or going into length about the plot because I think that defeats the purpose of letting someone judge the film and story for themselves. I prefer to discuss elements of the film and things that I like and maybe mention a couple of things that I dislike.

Memorable Elements and Related Films

The movie does borrow from other films—it’s clever at times. It could have been a very good film, but honestly, the awkwardness, flaws, and items mentioned earlier are what make it so memorable. There are actually some decent and underrated practical effects. This movie is part Princess Bride, part Invasion of the Body Snatchers, part Day of the Triffids, and there’s even a bit of Children of the Corn vibe.

Future Plans and Closing Thoughts

There are other documentaries about Troll 2 that I plan to watch. So in closing, I will say, “No more popcorn.”

As always, thank you for reading and thank you to Rob Young and N.L.Q.S. for suggesting that I watch this film.

Keywords: Troll 2, MST3K, King of Bad Movies