Michael's Movie Grade: C+
An enjoyable but easily forgettable animated movie.
The third feature film in the Trolls franchise does not revitalize the series in any way but it is enjoyable, and fans of the previous films should have quite a bit of fun. The story is very basic, but it does its job quite well. What makes the basic story work is that you care about these characters. Branch and Poppy are pretty much the heart of this franchise, and they are just as likable here as they were in the previous films. Branch still continues to be a very likable and relatable character, who remains our main emotional connection to the story. Poppy continues to be a fun to watch very energetic (but never annoying) character, who also has a very sweet heart that makes us equally like her. Though their relationship is not the main focus of the film, it is very well done here, and it is always nice to see these two characters share the screen. However, the new characters of Branch's brothers and Viva, are also very likable here. None of them are complex characters, but they are all easy to care about and their relationships with Poppy and Branch are very well done. Meanwhile the story as basic as it is, moves at a quick place and the hour and a half go by very quickly. The animation and design work are excellent here and a joy to look at.
Like many current family movies, the humor here is very hit and miss. There are some gags that are quite funny but there are just as many that simply fall flat. To be honest the ratio of gags that work and those that fall flat are pretty near even.
This film does suffer from weak villains. They are never either that interesting or entertaining. There is also the problem that this movie is a little too predictable and you always know exactly what will happen next.
This movie was directed by Walt Dohrn, who directed the last feature length Trolls film and was co-director on the first. The co-director is Tim Heitz. Heitz has previously worked as a storyboard artist on some of DreamWorks' other animated features starting with Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008). Though this is his first feature film as a co-director, he did direct the Trolls Christmas special, Trolls Holiday in Harmony (2021).
This is not going to be a new DreamWorks classic but makes for an enjoyable trip to the movies.
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