Literally getting the band back together. So all the Trolls you love are back, but what do you know about their pasts? Before Branch (Justin Timberlake) was the curmudgeon that everybody grew to love, he was actually in a boy band, meaning he is the youngest of five long-lost brothers. When one of his brothers (Troye Sivan) winds up kidnapped, he must unite the rest for a rescue mission. Now, I’m still a big fan of the first Trolls. I rewatched it recently, and it still holds up. I was more blasé on the second movie, and it wasn’t like homework was needed to keep up with the completion of the new trilogy (that nobody was asking for if we’re being honest). I was still looking forward to Trolls Band Together, and in terms of quality, this chapter falls right between the previous two films, which is about as good as you can hope for.
When you break it down, I like this because they put forth an effort. No, this movie doesn’t really need to exist, but as long as everybody’s here, you might as well make the best of it. This movie goes back to what made the first movie so entertaining in that it is still not afraid to get weird. There are new non-Troll species in this, and they all have different textures and worlds. For example, there’s this resort that one of the brothers has built a new life around. In that resort, there are Muppets, and this troll has started a whole Muppet family. Given that this movie has the sense of humor that it does, they slyly make a joke about how weird procreating must be. It’ll go over young kids’ heads, but the adults will get a laugh. That’s another great element to this movie: you’ve got plenty here for kids and adults. There was a small child next to me going off with dancing in the aisles, and that didn’t bother me in the slightest. I was happy to see him having a great time. Even if you’re an adult, the music mix is infectious to the point that you are sure to get your toe tapping. You’ll hear melodies and clips you’re familiar with, and it will put you in a good mood.
Trolls Band Together is not a movie that reinvents the wheel, but that would be kind of on you if you walked in expecting that. It’s a fast-moving sequel, and at a brief 91 minutes, you’re in and out before you can even consider getting restless. I wouldn’t say that I need more of these movies, but to be fair, if you had talked to me last year, I would have told you that I didn’t need to see a third Trolls. They could have easily just phoned this in, but I can’t deny that they came prepared and produced an enjoyable product.
Trolls Band Together (2023) ***1/2
– Critic for Hire
Critic for Hire 