Mountain Troll 2 has action and good monsters, but fails elsewhere

The metalinguistic exchange between characters praising “the powerful sequence” already indicates the kind of ironic self-awareness that director Roar Uthaug and screenwriter Espen Aukan employ in The Mountain Troll 2. The new film in the franchise leaves aside much of the “MonsterVerso” formula of the 2022 film and bets on an adventure style Indiana Jones through Norway, with expanded mythology – and twice as many trolls.

The central conflict involving the jötunn is established in the opening sequence, which also reintroduces the protagonist Nora (Ine Marie Wilmann). Her childhood connection to myth and magic was rekindled by the events of the first film, but this left her as something of an outcast – partly through her own fault, as she still carries the heavy weight of her mistakes. Old friend Andreas Isaksen (Kim Falck) brings her back into action when a new troll is discovered, determined to destroy humanity after awakening.

great adventure

Once again, Uthaug leads a nimble journey that doubles as a tourist advertisement for Norway’s stunning landscapes. Nora, Andreas, the ever-gallant Major Kristoffer Holm (Mads Sjøgård Pettersen) and newcomer Marion (Sara Khorami) cross the country tracking the creature while searching for answers on how to stop it. The grandiose settings guarantee scale to the adventure, but also reveal the director’s sense of humor, like a dance floor in the middle of a ski resort becoming the comic target of an angry troll.

The chemistry between the characters is enough to keep the pace going, even when their construction is minimal. Khorami surprises by transforming Marion from irritating foil to fearless believer, which works well, albeit in a discreet way.

Nora, played with intensity by Wilmann, remains the strong point: the “troll whisperer” with unwavering empathy for the jötunn. However, the character remains defined almost exclusively by her connection with folklore creatures. The acting helps soften superficial elements of the plot, but it doesn’t save artificial moments, like a late sacrifice so poorly executed that it completely breaks the suspension of disbelief. It’s the kind of strange choice that reveals how The Mountain Troll 2 changes personality traits and narrative details as necessary to advance the plot.

More monsters

Just like in the first film, the real magic lies in the mythical beings. The empathy awakened by the jötunn again injects a sense of wonder and fantasy, but this is constantly sabotaged by the spectacle and the lack of depth of the human characters. Uthaug and Aukan even suggest thought-provoking themes – religion as a destructive force, technology versus nature, and the value of fairy tale lessons – but they all take a backseat to the Spielbergian adventure.

The Mountain Troll 2 shines when he dedicates himself to his legends and reflections on how they connect to the technological present. However, the sequel prefers to focus on the traditional Kaiju spectacle, with monsters clashing and big action scenes. The result is a film that’s fun enough, but less engaging than the legend himself at the center of the chaos.

As expected, the post-credits scene sets the stage for a third film, giving Uthaug another chance to transform Norse mythology into a Hollywood spectacle. We can only hope that, if the franchise continues, it will finally leave its influences behind and embrace its Scandinavian identity once and for all.

The Mountain Troll 2as well as the original film, are available on Netflix.

Use: 2,5 / 5

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