Animation a del Toro triumph
GUILLERMO del Toro is known for using his deep imagination to give fans a good scare.
In his latest project, del Toro has teamed up with an unlikely partner to create monsters for an unlikely audience.
The animated series Trollhunters is del Toro’s new foray into television and his latest creation for kids.
The Dreamworks series premiered on Netflix yesterday. It has the same surreal fantasy seen in the Mexican director’s previous work.
Jim Lake Jr is a 15-year-old kid who becomes the first human to be chosen as trollhunter when he finds a powerful amulet.
There’s a whole world of good trolls living underneath his home town, unbeknown to him until now, and they’re under threat along with the human population.
Having picked up the amulet, Jim finds it’s now his job to protect both humans and his new docile troll friends from the evil trolls they are at war with.
It’s in the evil trolls that del Toro’s gothic and horror film history shows itself.
There are echoes of Pan’s Labyrinth in the shape and colours of Trollhunters’ baddies and in some of its little creative surprises.
Kelsey Grammar and Ron Perlman play the two good trolls that introduce the earnest young Jim to the secret world under his city.
Charlie Saxton plays the obligatory funny best friend. Jim is played by the late Anton Yelchic in what was sadly the young actor’s final role. He was killed close to the end of recording his dialogue.
His character is enthusiastic and in wonder at the new world and will hit the right note with tweens and younger kids looking for something to watch this holiday season.
Aside from delight of the story itself, del Toro has also tried for a feature film feeling in the animation.
He told press on the promotion trail the series was lit more like his big screen productions than a traditional animation series.
Parents will likely get a few laughs out of the series as they watch with their kids thanks to del Toro’s clever script writing.
The series is definitely Dreamworks fare but with a worthy del Toro twist.
Trollhunters is now streaming on Netflix.