Film

Trolls

Name: Trolls
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Released: 2016
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Christine Baranski

Fairy tale
Light-hearted

A candy-coloured animated adventure about a relentlessly optimistic troll princess and a doomsday-prepping outcast forced into an unlikely rescue mission. It's bright, fizzy, energetic, and unapologetically earnest about friendship and joy. Made for kids who like colour and movement, but genuinely fun for anyone who doesn't need their animation to wink at adults constantly.

TMDb rating

3.3

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want a bright, buoyant musical cartoon where the songs do real work and the candy-colored absurdity never lets up, the kind of film that trusts small children and their grown-up chaperones to share one joke.

Skip it if you find relentless cheer wearing and need your animated comedy to have some grit or sharp edges, since its sweetness rarely gives way to anything darker or more complicated.

What it asks of you: Ninety-two minutes of constant motion and sing-along interruptions, with little pause for stillness, asking you to meet its sugar rush on its own bouncy terms.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Lego Movie2014

Another adventure that pairs a charismatic optimist with a grouchy loner, executed with infectious energy, genuine heart, and jokes that land for all ages. The pacing and design are immaculate.

But It's relentlessly cheerful and can feel exhausting if you're not in the mood for that particular frequency of joy.

Moana2016

A similarly gorgeous animated adventure with a strong-willed lead, terrific songs, and real emotional stakes beneath the colour and fun. The oceanography sequences alone are worth the price of admission.

But It takes itself a bit more seriously than Trolls does, so if you want pure frivolity you might find it slightly heavier.

Shrek2001

The original mismatched-buddy adventure film: a grumpy, world-weary character and an optimistic companion on a rescue mission, with clever humour and surprising depth. It basically invented this template.

But The early-2000s pop-culture references feel dated now, and some of the humour lands softer than it used to.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Trolls

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

My Neighbor Totoro1988

Both films understand that the emotional core of children's entertainment is recognising joy in the world around you, but they approach that recognition from opposite angles: Trolls through exuberance, Totoro through stillness.

A Studio Ghibli film with a completely different approach to childhood joy: quiet, observational, almost static, where happiness comes from noticing small things. It's a reminder that wonder doesn't require noise.

But If you're coming from Trolls expecting plot-driven adventure, this will feel slow and melancholic. Some find the pacing magical; others find it soporific.

The Croods2013

Colourful, chaotic family adventure with strong character dynamics and a grandmother-voiced by Cloris Leachman stealing every scene. The animation is inventive and the pacing is relentless.

But The plot is fairly straightforward and the emotional beats are predictable if you've seen many animated films.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted2012

A madcap ensemble adventure that doesn't take itself seriously for a second, with anarchic humour, surprising heart, and visual gags that keep the whole family laughing.

But The humour is very broad and scattered; if you prefer narrative coherence, it can feel like chaos for chaos's sake.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted poster

How to Train Your Dragon2010

A beautifully animated adventure with genuine stakes, a great father-son dynamic, and action sequences that feel earned. It's funny without being silly, and moving without being schmaltzy.

But It's more visually serious in tone than Trolls, and less reliant on pure colour and zaniness—some might find it slower.

Wreck-It Ralph2012

A video-game adventure that's genuinely clever about its central conceit while remaining warm and funny. Ralph and Vanellope's relationship is beautifully realised, and the retro-gaming humour lands.

But It relies heavily on gaming-world references that will sail over the heads of non-gamers, and the pacing dips in the middle.

Kung Fu Panda2008

A comedic action film with real martial-arts choreography translated into animation, genuine character growth, and Jack Black being exactly as good as he should be in an animated film.

But The comedy is sometimes at the expense of sensitivity—it can feel a bit dated in that regard, and the villain is fairly one-note.

The Lego Ninjago Movie2017

Rapid-fire joke delivery, a self-aware attitude about sequels and family dynamics, and enough visual chaos to keep you engaged. It's more cynical than most animated films, which is oddly refreshing.

But That cynicism means it never reaches for genuine emotion, and some viewers will find it too manic even by animated-comedy standards.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse2018

Both films prove that animated adventures can achieve visual sophistication without losing accessibility or fun. They're just willing to be completely different about how they do it.

A superhero film that breaks every rule about animation pacing and visual design, creating something genuinely surprising and visually intoxicating. The characters are vivid and the story matters.

But It's kinetic to the point of overwhelming; the visual complexity can give you a headache, and the plot is dense where Trolls is simple.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse poster

Song of the Sea2014

Like Trolls, it's fundamentally about the bond between mismatched characters on a journey, but it achieves emotional truth through folk-tale atmosphere rather than bright energy—showing that adventure works at every temperature.

A hand-drawn animated film about two siblings on a magical journey, with a visual style that feels almost like storybook illustration. It's genuinely beautiful and deeply strange without ever losing warmth.

But It's quiet and melancholic, relying on mood and visual storytelling over jokes. If you want plot clarity and comedic timing, you will be frustrated.