Nov 17, 2023

Trolls" Review Summary: Vibrant, colorful animation is enjoyable enough, but the sequel's plot is thin.

With DreamWorks' "Trolls Band Together" opening in the U.S. this weekend, we check out what critics are saying about the third film in the hit musical franchise.

Like the first two films, "Band Together" is directed by Walt Dohrn and produced by Gina Shay. Tim Heitz, who directed the special "Trolls Holiday in Harmony," is co-directing.

The DreamWorks synopsis is as follows:

Poppy and Blanche are finally officially a couple. As they grow closer, Poppy discovers that Blanche has a secret past. He was once a member of her favorite boy band, Brozone: Floyd, John Dory, Spruce, and Clay. Brozone broke up when Blanche was still a baby, and the family dissolved. But when Branch's brother Floyd is kidnapped by a diabolical pop star villainous duo - Velvet and Veneer - for his musical talents, Branch and Poppy reunite the other brothers and on a harrowing and emotional journey to rescue Floyd from a fate even worse than pop culture obscurity embark on.

Reviews of "Band Together" have many nice things to say about the film's animation, especially the delightful 2D psychedelic scenes created with the help of Titmouse, but the praise tends to end there. Most critics agree that the film's plot is flimsy for a children's film, the humor is a bit too explicit, and most of the best jokes are spoiled by the trailer.

Let's take a closer look at what critics have to say about Trolls Band Together.

Amy Amatangelo, in the title of her review in Paste, sums up the general feeling of critics that Band Together is "fun enough":

"We're here to have fun. Indeed, the entire plot of "Trolls Band Together" and the film's best jokes are revealed in the trailer. But the film's target audience is the same audience that can watch "Anna and the Snow Queen" twenty times. They certainly aren't going to care that they already know what's going to happen.

Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter said of the film's aesthetic:

The computer animation is as lively and colorful as in previous films, set to the disco classic "The Hustle" One highlight is a hand-drawn psychedelic sequence. How much you enjoy the visuals, however, depends on whether or not you understand the appeal of the troll creature. I'll take the minions any day.

Peter DeBruge of Variety magazine has a lot of good things to say about the work of the DreamWorks artists:

From the very beginning of the franchise, the Arts & Crafts-like design was a selling point, with flocked skin textures and felt-like production design were selling points. The creative use of pool noodles and water beads found in the film gives it a tactile, workshop feel, as if the entire film was made in an Etsy seller's workshop. In a world where Taylor Swift's Eras tour vastly outshines Martin Scorsese's films and others, the haters are the trolls, and the trolls are just what the audience ordered.

The Guardian's Cass Clark praised the film for not taking itself too seriously and for allowing younger audiences to enjoy watching it. Not so with the "Trolls" series, which is more LSD-infused M&Ms than vegetables. The new film has a message (do your best, perfection is overrated), but honestly, the characters, the themes, the message - they are all just background for a glittery, bonkers atmosphere.

And Alejandra Martinez of the Austin Chronicle, while agreeing that the film is great fun, also has good things to say about its message: [29] [30] What resonates most with "Trolls Band Together" is the self-acceptance and perfectionism lessons about letting go. It is a great message for young children to take to heart, and perhaps a good reminder for adults in the audience as well. This film reminds us that sometimes it is okay to be who we are and live in the moment, flaws and all.