By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)
The creative minds behind Dreamworks Trolls must have been influenced by 70’s musical comedy TV show, The Partridge Family. I really could not stop humming along to the later season’s opening title song, “Come on, Get Happy” afterwards and even hours later, that tune is still not out of my head! When this film’s story is about these Trolls celebrating life, they have a good reason to always be cheerful.
However, Branch (Justin Timberlake) reminds his people that their past will eventually catch up with them; one-day. the Bergins (giants) will find them and, like the Smurfs before them, get caught! Instead of an evil man, a hag has more of a motive to hunt them down like the wicked witch she is! Sadly, the day has come because Poppy (Anna Kendrick), the optimistic daughter of the king, was singing too loud and set off fireworks. Because she believes nobody should get left behind, she’s confident her friends can be rescued.
Branch does not and reluctantly follows because the Trolls have made his home their safe house. He wants them out! His doom and gloom make him the cautious type, but yet he finds something interesting about Poppy who throws that to the wind.