As the lone theatergoer in my particular showing of “Trolls Band Together,” I had the unparalleled pleasure of an entire theater to myself. So, after spending the preview section of my movie theater experience wandering the aisles aimlessly whilst singing along to the somewhat dated commercial for Madagascar’s “I like to move it, move it,” I sat down and waited for the film to begin.
It is worth noting that I went into this movie completely blind, having not seen one second of the prior two films in the franchise. Light research taught me that the original “Trolls” as well as the sequel “Trolls: World Tour” were runaway box office successes. Naturally, this piqued my curiosity for the third installment, despite my lack of familiarity with the story as well as the musical stylings of the trilogy.
Within the first thirty seconds of its runtime, “Trolls Band Together” revealed itself to be a jukebox musical, joining the likes of “Mamma Mia” and “Jersey Boys” in that highly exclusive club. Our central characters spend the majority of the story in pursuit of a great performance. Namely, they want to achieve “the perfect family harmony.” I mean, don’t we all? With the additional goal of getting the family band back together, it’s safe to say that Poppy and the gang have their hands full.
The movie hinges on the complex backstory of Poppy’s boyfriend, Branch, voiced by Britney Spears’ ex-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake. Between the boy band drama, the interrupted wedding ceremonies, and the long-lost troll siblings, there’s enough real time drama to keep even the most jaded of troll-goers happy and entertained. While there are many jokes just for kids, the humor is shockingly sophisticated for a movie with such a young intended audience. It takes quite a bit of effort on a movie’s part to get any sort of reaction out of me, let alone a laugh, and even I was giggling out loud at plenty of the film’s jokes and gags.
Despite my complete and utter lack of expectations, I found myself ceaselessly delighted by the spirited musical numbers, the visually dynamic animation, and the surprisingly heartwarming story. The recognizable tunes are sure to get you dancing in your seat, including selections from the catalogs of stars such as Lizzo, Dolly Parton, and the one and only Spice Girls. Many of the most popular songs from the last few years are peppered throughout the film, and every vocal performance rose to meet the impeccable standard set by starring troll, Anna Kendrick’s Poppy.
Without spoiling too much of the story, the first scene begins with the unraveling of a boy band. The lead singer causes a fight based on a less than stellar group performance, and the group quickly devolves into all out fighting and defensiveness, inspiring one boy band troll to utter my favorite line of the film “I’m more than just the fun one; I’m in a sad book club.”
In addition to the silly, goofy, children’s humor that permeates the narrative, there are also plenty of jokes for adults to enjoy. Of course, there’s nothing that ever broaches the line of propriety for a kids’ film, but there are several references to 90’s boy bands and other pop cultural phenomena that will probably go over the kids’ heads but will keep the grownups laughing right along with them.
Keep that childlike wonder alive; go see “Trolls Band Together,” and enjoy a semi-mindless hour and a half of joyful noises, acidly bright colors, and, of course, one of those signature Dreamworks happy endings. Indulge in a simple movie that teaches children and adults alike that perfection as a goal is wholly unattainable but joy, if you’re really looking for it, is always right around the corner.
Gabi Merchen is a fourth-year communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
