“Trolls Band Together” is the third film in the trilogy of glittery, candy-colored, perky animated films, and it delivers exactly what you’d expect from the franchise. It may not be quite as good as its predecessors, but this charming family flick features high-quality and extremely detailed animation, solid voice performances, and is a strong remedy to the winter blues. Adults and kids alike will enjoy this shot of rainbow-coated dopamine in cinematic form.
Peppy troll Poppy (voice of Anna Kendrick) and her buddy Branch (voice of Justin Timberlake) have finally taken their relationship to the next level. Now that they’re officially boyfriend and girlfriend, the two are learning so much about each other as they grow closer. When Poppy makes the discovery that Branch has a secret past as a member of the popular boy band BroZone, she is shocked to learn that he also has four brothers (voices of Troye Sivan, Eric André, Daveed Diggs, and Kid Cudi). The band and the family broke up when Branch was still a baby, and he hasn’t seen his siblings since. After his older brother is kidnapped by two villainous pop stars (voices of Andrew Rannells and Amy Schumer) with plans to be mine the troll for his musical talents, Branch and Poppy tag along on an epic rescue mission to reunite the brothers and the band.
It’s a cute story that’s packed with family-friendly messaging about finding the courage to stand up for yourself, always doing what’s right, staying true to yourself, and never forgetting to exhibit kindness. It’s sweet but never sappy, and the script hits the emotional high notes. To keep the little ones from getting bored, there are small nuggets of story sandwiched between musical numbers, action / adventure scenes, and goofy, kid-friendly humor. Co-directors Walt Dohrn and Tim Heitz find a pleasant balance that’s slightly frentic yet only mildly irritating.
The film embraces its musical roots and features bright, catchy covers and mash-ups of classic pop songs as well as several original tunes that are delightfully memorable earworms. The gags about 90s boy bands will delight mom and dad, and it’s all just a whole bunch of fun for everyone.
“Trolls Band Together” isn’t one of the best animated films around, but it certainly succeeds in delivering a big, bubbly dose of sunshine and happiness.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 
I felt that this movie was definitely the weakest entry of the series. It has all the right amount of visual color, catchy songs, and a solid working of voice talents, but the overall general feeling from the film feels half-baked and ends up being quite hollow and flimsy with its thinly sketched story. Such a disappointment from a franchise that started out strong…..
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