Trolls

The boilerplate plot of Trolls involves joyfully miserable, Troll-devouring creatures called Bergens and a scheme by ultra-happy Troll Princess Poppy (Kendrick) and her defiantly not-happy, survivalist pal Branch (Timberlake) to rescue some captured friends over in Bergen Town. There’s nary a hint of the original Troll dolls' disconcerting unearthliness in this utterly tame although vibrantly animated feature from DreamWorks Animation. Target-demographically precise gags, songs, and the often downright psychedelic visuals will mesmerize the pre-teen set, but parents and aging collectors of one of the biggest fads to sweep Sixties and Seventies pop culture should feel free to grab 90 minutes of free nap time while the wee ones get an eyeful. The movie is all generally unambitious fluff of the purest stripe, a snooze for those well past their pre-teen, Troll doll fever, but little kids will likely love it and pepper mom and dad immediately after for more Trolls® merchandise. Which arguably is the whole point of this movie.