Trolls Band Together
I enjoyed the unapologetic weirdness of Trolls and the even weirder Trolls World Tour. The third installment in the franchise, Trolls Band Together, is the weirdest of them all. The danger is there to go overboard to the point where it’s more obnoxious than funny. That doesn’t happen, thanks to a particular topic that drives much of the humor.
Branch (Justin Timberlake) gets a visit from his estranged brother John Dory (Eric Andre). Twenty years ago, they were in a boy band together with three others. When the act fell apart, everyone abandoned Branch, leading to his resentment. John Dory informs him that one of the other members, Floyd (Troye Sivan), has been kidnapped by two wannabe pop stars named Velvet (Amy Schumer) and Veneer (Andrew Rannells). The duo is absorbing his talent to make it seem like they’re good singers. The only way to stop them is to get the band back together for a rescue mission. Branch and Poppy (Anna Kendrick) join the fight. Along the way, Poppy meets an important figure from her own past, a troll named Viva (Camila Cabello).
Trolls Band Together has all of the factors that were so pleasurable in the first two movies, including bright, excessively colorful animation that’s dazzling to look at. Appealing characters and creative song mashups are present once again, too. The best of them combines boy band songs from multiple eras, incorporating “Candy Girl” by New Edition, “The Right Stuff” by New Kids on the Block, “Motownphilly” by Boyz II Men, and “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, among others. (Okay, calling the Bee Gees a boy band is stretching it.) That sort of musical cleverness is always fun.
Right here is where the film really succeeds. Dozens of boy band jokes permeate the story. Of course, Timberlake was in a successful boy band, and his one-time frosted tips and denim suit don’t escape scrutiny. Puns, references, and name-drops are everywhere. It’s a veritable feast of boy band-related gags, many of which are hilarious. Appropriately to the plot, Timberlake and his former *NSYNC collaborators have even recorded a brand new song for the soundtrack. At the same time that comedy is mined from the boy band phenomenon, the movie shows great affection for it.
An all-star cast brings the characters to life, with Kenan Thompson proving a standout in his return role as Tiny Diamond. Cabello is a welcome addition, helping Viva build a delightfully offbeat chemistry with Kendrick’s Poppy. Trolls Band Together stays faithful to the fundamentals of the series yet finds ways to maintain freshness without sacrificing the requisite weird quality that is its hallmark.
out of four
Trolls Band Together is rated PG for some mild rude and suggestive humor. The running time is 1 hour and 31 minutes.
