Trolls

Sinopsis Film Trolls (2016)

Trolls is an animated musical comedy film released in 2016 by DreamWorks Animation. Directed by Mike Mitchell and Walt Dohrn, the film carries themes of friendship, courage, and happiness with colorful visuals and catchy pop music. The story is inspired by the Troll doll toy created by Thomas Dam in the late 1950s, but adapted into a modern adventure full of humor and moral messages.

Background Story

The Film is set in a fantasy world inhabited by two groups of creatures: Troll and Bergen. Trolls are small, colorful-haired creatures that are always cheerful, love to sing, dance and hug. They believe that happiness is the essence of their life. Bergen, on the other hand, is a gloomy giant creature, believing that the only way to feel happiness is to eat trolls. To keep the peace, trolls live in Troll Village, a hidden place full of sparkle and joy.

The story begins with a flashback: twenty years before the main event, trolls manage to escape Bergen during the annual event “Trollstice,” the day when Bergen eats trolls to celebrate happiness. Led by King Peppy, the trolls escape and establish a new life in the forest. However, a new adventure begins when their existence is detected by Bergen.

Storyline

Beginning: the Great Feast and the threat

Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick), the cheerful and optimistic daughter of King Peppy, is now the young leader of Troll Village. He is known for his unquenchable passion, always throwing parties with loud music, fireworks and glitter. However, his impulsive nature makes him ignore warnings from Branch (voiced by Justin Timberlake), a lone Troll who is paranoid and doesn't like to sing or party. Branch is always on the lookout for Bergen's threats, living in an underground bunker full of supplies to survive.

One Day, Poppy throws the biggest party in the history of Troll Village, which turns out to be an eye-catcher Chef (voiced by Christine Baranski), Bergen's ruthless chef who was exiled after Trollstice's past failures. Chef invaded the village, caught several trolls, including Poppy friends like Biggie, Satin & Chenille, Cooper, and Guy Diamond. Feeling responsible, Poppy decides to save them, although she does not know the way to the city of Bergen. Reluctantly, he enlists the help of Branch, the only Troll with survival knowledge.

The Road To Bergen

Poppy and Branch embark on a dangerous adventure across the woods towards Bergentown. Along the way, the two often clash due to differences in nature: the optimistic Poppy continues to sing and see the positive side, while the pessimistic Branch considers the world full of dangers. However, their chemistry slowly develops, revealing new sides of each character.

On the way, they meet Creek (voiced by Russell Brand), a Troll who initially appears to be a spiritual Energizer, but is later revealed to have ulterior motives. They also found strange creatures such as Cloud Guy, which tests Branch's patience with his annoying jokes. This adventure is full of funny obstacles, such as crossing dangerous tunnels and avoiding Troll-eating creatures.

Conflict in Bergentown

Upon arrival in Bergentown, Poppy and Branch infiltrate Bergen Castle, led by Raja Gristle Jr. (voiced by Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a lonely young king. They discover that Chef is planning to return Trollstice to regain his power. In the castle, Poppy and Branch meet Bridget (voiced by Zooey Deschanel), a humble but kind Bergen waitress. Bridget diam-diam mencintai Raja Gristle Jr., but feels insecure because of his appearance.

Poppy, with her passion, helps Bridget transform into “Lady Glittersparkles” with the help of magical Troll hair and soulful songs. In return, Bridget helps free the captured Troll. However, this plan is thwarted when Creek betrays the Troll in order to save himself, revealing the Troll Village's location to Chef.

Climax: crisis and awakening

Chef and the Bergen team attack Troll Village, capturing almost the entire population, including King Peppy. Poppy begins to lose hope, and for the first time, her bright hair fades, reflecting despair. Seeing this, all the trolls lose their color, and the atmosphere becomes gray. This is where Branch, who has been hiding his past, finally opens up. He reveals that he lost his color and spirit after his grandmother eaten Bergen because of his singing mistakes. By singing” True Colors, " Branch inspires Poppy and the other trolls to bounce back, restoring their color and spirit.

In Bergen Castle, trolls use their hair to thwart Trollstice. Poppy dan Branch juga mengajarkan kepada Bergen, terutama Bridget dan Raja Gristle Jr., that true happiness does not come from eating trolls, but rather from sincere hearts and relationships. Bergen eventually learns to find happiness without hurting the trolls, and Chef is defeated, exiled along Creek.

End: Feast and friendship

Back in Troll Village, Poppy is crowned Queen by her father, with Branch now part of the community, eventually joining in the singing and partying. Film ditutup dengan pesta besar, diiringi lagu “Can’t Stop the Feeling!"the one sung by Justin Timberlake, celebrates true friendship, love and happiness.

Theme and message

Trolls it carries the message that true happiness comes from within, not from external things. Through the characters Poppy and Branch, the film explores the balance between optimism and realism, as well as the importance of mutual support in friendship. The story also teaches about self-acceptance, as Bridget points out, and that everyone has the potential to change, like Bergen.

Main Characters

• Poppy: A cheerful leader who learns that courage also requires readiness to face reality.
• Branch: A loner Troll who rediscovers his passion through friendship.
• Bridget: Bergen waitress who finds confidence through kindness.
• Chef: Power-hungry antagonist, representing a selfish nature.
• Raja Gristle Jr.: The young king who learns about love and happiness.
• Creek: Traitorous trolls who pursue personal interests.

Musical Elements

Film ini dikenal karena soundtrack-nya yang kuat, menggabungkan lagu-lagu pop klasik seperti “The Sound of Silence” dan “True Colors” dengan lagu orisinal seperti “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” it became a global hit. Music becomes an important element in the story, reflecting the emotions of the characters and moving the plot.

Conclusion

Trolls is an adventure full of color, humor and heart, suitable for audiences of all ages. With stunning visuals, relatable characters, and addictive music, the film manages to convey a message of happiness and courage while still being entertaining. This story also became the basis for sequels such as Trolls World Tour (2020) and Trolls Band Together (2023), expanding the world of trolls with new adventures.