The Magic Trolls and the Troll Warriors (1993) User Reviews

No, Internet Trolls are Not Magical

[warren-54988 · 8/10 · 16 February 2017]

I had to watch this short several times because I was assigned to transfer it from VHS to DVD for purposes of preservation, so I thought "screw it, I'll write a review since I know about this short way more than I should".

The animation is a bit choppy at times, but it's alright (keep in mind that this is on VHS and I've not seen it on DVD). The sounds is pretty good, honestly.

So anyways, Magic Trolls and the Troll Warriors is disappointingly not about Internet trolls with magical powers or Internet trolls with warrior helmets, but it is about old-time trolls. It's about a troll princess that sings and makes other trolls happy, which is apparently illegal in troll law (and Internet troll law, for that matter). One of the lesser trolls (who is basically He-Man) wants to rescue the princess and her father who have been imprisoned allegedly for being happy, but He-Man gets 360-no-scoped and tied up. Some bird brings magical eggs to the princess that hatch into tinier trolls and one of them can paint doors to anywhere. Instead of using this awesome power to make a door to the princess's father, they all have an adventure to overthrow the dictatorship of Kim Jong Troll. They do so by making everyone evil laugh, which kills them somehow. And He-Troll gets rescued by the princess, which is pretty cool and very feminist.

The story is pretty original and a good fit for kids, it's never too early to teach them about corrupt dictatorships and how to overthrow them with smiles and laughs (and tickles). I give this short an 8/10. Is real gud.

I must be an internet troll, because I thought this cartoon movie was meh, even as a kid in the 1990s.

[ironhorse_iv · 6/10 · 11 August 2016]

We know, of trolls for being ugly, slow-witted, devious and fearsome woodland creatures, that especially known for living under bridges. However, there is others that believe, that trolls are small, cute and friendly. One of those people was Danish woodcutter, Thomas Dam who got an idea for a toy, from reading Old English folktales that were different than the original Old Norse text. In these version, the troll were not only Christianized, but they were, as good luck troll, or 'gonk' troll. Something similar to the modernization of the Leprechaun. One winter, fearing that he cannot afford a Christmas gift for his young daughter Lila. He carved the doll from his imagination and gave it to her. Other children in the Danish town of Gjøl saw the troll doll and wanted it. It soon become popular, and sold everywhere, making him, millions. In the 1970s, the trolls reached America, where cheap plastic replace the hard wood, making it, easier to produce. Once again, the toys sold out fast. It was the 1990s, when the toy reached its peak. So, when it was announced that DreamWorks Animation was making a feature film based on the troll dolls, set for release in 2016. I had to go back to my childhood, and revisit this film. Made in the early 1990s, when trolls dolls was still somewhat of a popular fad. 'The Magic Trolls and the Troll Warriors' was an obscured VHS cartoon movie that was originally made as a television pilot. However, since the show wasn't never pick up for production, by any studio. Front Row Video, instead, hope to sell the tape, with the uber-popular toy in shopping centers for consumers to buy. Sometimes, the toy came with sticker tattoos, others came with this video. It's here, where I first got my hand on this film, as I was kinda digging the new 'macho' look of the dolls. Somehow, my parents manage to get one of the main figures of the line. I like how Sven look. I also kinda like the story that came with it. Reminds me, at the time, of 'He-man and the Masters of the Universe'. The story wasn't that half-bad. The evil King Nolaf and his Troll Warriors have conquered the once joyful kingdom of Everafter, imprisoned beautiful Princess Celia and banished all happiness from the land. Everafter's only hope lies with five Magic Trolls who have been placed in suspended animation. Princess Celia learns that it is her destiny to awaken the Magic Trolls who can save her land and rescue the man, she loves. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I really didn't really like this movie, too much as a kid as I found it, to be a bit too unintelligent and too cutesy pandering. Honestly, the Magic Trolls, by far, the weakest part of this film, as I found them to somewhat annoying and highly gimmicky. The humor with them, really did fall flat. I never laugh once. Also, their weapons like flowers, and ticklish were way too 'G', compare to their enemies 'PG' weapons of rocket launchers and nets. The only thing that seem useful was the paint door magic. As much, as I kinda dig the whole 'positive' trolls vs 'negative' troll fantasy battle that was going on. I was really disappointed, that the Troll Warriors part, never really got off the ground. I was really hoping for a slave revolution with Sven, being the Spartacus role. We never got that. I guess, the others, are alright in, searching for Gold and being miserable. The action was memorable at best. Anyways, while, characters like Princess Celia and Sven were somewhat bland. I think, the movie gave us, enough reason to be, interested in their struggles, that I found myself, hating the ending. It's so bittersweet, with forced exposition, trying to make it seem like a happy ending, when it wasn't. To the best of my knowledge, a second episode was never filmed or finished. Despite that, the animation throughout this 30 minutes, running time film was alright for the most part, even if it's a bit choppy in certain movements. The music in this special was also very nice to listen to. Very beautiful to the ears. The voice-acting was alright for the most part, even if some parts were a bit off, from the lip movement. Overall: I have to say, short film is 8 times better than Warner Bros 1993's 'A Troll in Central Park' movie or the 1992's 'Magical Super Troll' cartoon series, but nothing worth rewatching. For me, it's just a one-time nostalgia trip that get harder to watch, the more, I get older. I can only hope that 2016's 'Trolls' would be better than these three cartoon films, because these films, are a little too childish and dated.