Justin VanLant

I don’t understand the hype around Trolls — this movie was an exhausting, over-the-top mess from beginning to end. It felt like the creators threw every bright color, pop song, and random character into a blender and hoped it would somehow turn into a fun movie. Spoiler: it didn’t. First off, the story is paper-thin. It’s the most basic “happy vs. sad” plot I’ve ever seen, with characters who feel more like walking emojis than real personalities. The so-called “conflict” is predictable and rushed, and there’s no real emotional depth or development. I never connected with any of the characters — not Poppy, not Branch, not even the villains. They’re all just flat, annoying, and constantly yelling or singing. Speaking of the singing: it’s non-stop. Literally every few minutes there’s another pop cover being belted out for no real reason other than to keep kids distracted. It doesn’t move the story forward — it just pads the runtime. And if you don’t love cheesy, overproduced versions of songs you’ve already heard a thousand times on the radio, prepare to suffer. Visually, it’s like staring into a glitter explosion. The animation is overly saturated, like the inside of a candy store on steroids. I get that it’s meant to appeal to young kids, but it’s overwhelming and actually kind of painful to watch. There’s no break, no balance — just color, glitter, and noise from beginning to end. This movie feels like it was made by a marketing team, not storytellers. It’s more interested in selling toys and soundtracks than telling a meaningful or even mildly entertaining story. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone looking for a good animated movie — there are way better options out there that respect kids’ intelligence and adults’ patience.