Trolls in movies are often creatures of fairy tales or fantasy, inspired by literary creations or from stories of folklore and myth. Whatever the origins or lore, like many other types of giants on screen, they are more often than not depicted as dangerous foes, with little chance of survival for anyone who encounters them, due to their sheer size and strength.
Trolls feature in many different kinds of movies, and many look like they could have stepped out of a video game fantasy world. However, some are undoubtedly better done than others, whether because of visual effects or fleshing out their personalities beyond a typical big-but-lacking-intelligence persona.
6 Netflix's Troll
Netflix's 2022 movie Troll features the namesake creature that blends seamlessly into the natural landscape and draws upon Norwegian mythology. The troll's size and strength walk in the footsteps of classic giant movie monster creatures like King Kong and Godzilla, showing its capacity for immense destruction. However, the movie also shows the troll's emotional size in some touching moments that create sympathy for the creature.
Visually, Netflix's take on troll monster mythology is stunning with some fantastic special effects when it comes to the trolls' design and some fascinating folklore that inspires some fun and more original take-down attempt scenes, making it one of the best presentations of trolls in movies.
5 Three Trolls - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
One of the most iconic and best, widely-recognized scenes with trolls on screen takes place in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, where Bilbo the hired burglar, and his dwarf companions, face off against three dangerous trolls who attempt to cook them.
The trolls in the scene aren't overly smart but are still fearsome and cunning, each with their own name and personalities that shine through in a funny and exciting part of the movie. Although Bilbo gets the dwarves into trouble in the books, in the movie, he hilariously manages to trick the trolls and stall for time until the sun comes up, turning them into stone as per traditional troll mythology.
4 Mountain Troll - Harry Potter & The Sorcerers' Stone
One of the most fierce but funny trolls, so it's not overly scary for younger audiences, is the mountain troll from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Beginning with Professor Quirrell's iconic line, "Troll in the dungeon!", the fully grown troll surprises Hermione in the girl's bathroom, where Harry and Ron rescue her, but not before Harry sticks his wand up its flaring nostril.
Trolls and other mythical creatures are expected to appear in the eagerly anticipated Hogwart's Legacy video game, where fans may be curious about what abilities or spells might take down such giant and aggressive foes.
3 Snow White And The Huntsman
The troll in Snow White and the Huntsman makes a brief but ferocious appearance in a woodland scene with Snow, played by Kristen Stewart, and Eric the Huntsman guardian, played by Chris Hemsworth. The troll is a stone and branch-horned creature that's well done and looks like it belongs as part of the natural landscape.
It's also a mighty foe for Hemsworth, with its ground-pounding attacks and brute strength, knocking him out cold. However, the battle is somewhat anti-climatic but perhaps understandably leans into Snow White's affinity with animals and nature. Instead of squashing the pair, it merely acknowledges them before wandering off.
2 Edward The Troll - Hansel And Gretal: Witch Hunters
2013's Hansel and Gretal: Witch Hunters puts a unique spin on the traditional Hansel and Gretal fairy tale story, with its protagonists - Hawkeye's Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton - taking on the role of fierce witch hunters. The movie has some fantastic prosthetic special effects and, although perhaps not the most realistic-looking troll on-screen, Edward the troll dishes out some devastating but hilarious finishing moves that might make fans of gory Mortal Kombat fatalities grimace, making him one of the funniest.
Edward, on first appearances, seems to be an evil troll lacking in intelligence, serving the witches in stealing children from the local townsfolk in preparation for a gruesome ritual. However, he later saves Gretal from a group of thugs, and they seem to form a friendship, showing that sometimes things aren't always what they seem.
1 Cave Troll - Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
Undoubtedly one of the best trolls in cinema history is the cave troll battle in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in Balin's Tomb, initiated by Boromir's line, "They have a cave troll". Besides the Watcher in the Water guarding the entrance to the Mines of Moria, this scene is the first time viewers see the Fellowship fighting together against the troll and orcs and each character's abilities. It makes for a tense and exciting fight scene as the troll doesn't go down easy, swinging its giant club and making iconic and animalistic sound effects.
The opening episode of Netflix's Rings of Power also features a snow troll battle that feels somewhat reminiscent of this scene but is defeated much quicker.