What could have easily been a cult-in-the-making, Troll Hunter is buried under the obligation to look and feel real. This verisimilitude creates an atmosphere where viewers are forced to appreciate the shaky camera, the docu-style narrative and the inconsistent dramatic pull. It forces the viewers to place themselves behind another fourth wall, so to speak. Not only are we supposed to be entertained, we are also asked to be objects of an historical / sociological / scientific / psychological (delete as necessary) experiment. We are merely reflecting on a supposed fact, when in fact what happens on the screen is unadulterated fun. It's a shame, because Troll Hunter could easily have been one of the best genre films of the last few years. Alas, it falls incredibly short.
