Trollhunter

In the midst of a Norwegian wilderness, a group of intrepid filmmakers from Volda University College - Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud), Johanna (Johanna Mørck) and their camera-wielding companion Kalle (Tomas Alf Larsen) - embark on an investigative documentary about Hans (Otto Jespersen), a suspect bear poacher. Their journey begins at the site of a slain bear, where they conduct interviews with local hunters who express bewilderment at the peculiar tracks left behind. The students also pay a visit to Finn Haugen (Hans Morten Hansen), the head of the Norwegian Wildlife Board, only to be met with skepticism when they propose the notion that the tracks might have been fabricated. Undeterred, Thomas, Johanna, and Kalle continue to pursue Hans, following him into the depths of the forest as night begins to fall. It is here that they stumble upon an eerie spectacle: flashing lights and roars that seem to emanate from some unknown force. In a state of panic, Hans reappears, shouting "Troll!" in a tone that sends shivers down their spines. Thomas soon finds himself under attack, revealing that he has been bitten by something unseen. The trio manages to escape in Hans's Land Rover, only to discover their own vehicle in disarray - its tires shredded and mangled. As the reality of their situation begins to sink in, Hans finally reveals the truth: his hunting expeditions are not focused on bears at all, but rather on a far more sinister quarry - trolls. Initially skeptical, Thomas, Johanna, and Kalle propose an audacious idea: can they join Hans on his hunt, filming every step of the way? To their surprise, Hans agrees, provided that they follow his instructions to the letter.

As Hans leads the students on their next expedition, he instructs them to don an unappealing disguise, dubbed "troll stench," a potent concoction distilled from the most pungent substances extracted from trolls. He poses a profound question: do any of them believe in God or Jesus? Hans' inquiry is rooted in his assertion that a troll can detect the blood of a Christian man, revealing the inherent danger posed by these mythical creatures. Equipped with a "flash gun," a device capable of emitting intense UV-rays mimicking sunlight, Hans effortlessly petrifies a behemoth three-headed troll, known as a Tusseladd. With the troll rendered inert, Hans shares his motivation for allowing the students to accompany him: he is weary of working without adequate compensation and hopes that they will help unravel the truth surrounding these enigmatic beings. Meanwhile, Finn, an undercover agent for the Troll Security Service (TSS), arrives on the scene with a team tasked with depositing a bear carcass and fabricating fake tracks. He informs the students that their footage will be confiscated. Through a series of candid interviews, Hans reveals the dichotomy between his mission to eliminate trolls threatening populated areas and Finn's role in maintaining the secrecy surrounding these creatures. Hans shares his concern about the recent surge in troll aggression, as they have begun venturing further from their territories than usual, and expresses his need to obtain a blood sample to unravel the mystery behind this phenomenon.

The group accompanies Hans on another hunt, employing live goats as bait on a bridge. His expertise proves invaluable as he successfully collects a blood sample from a Raglefant, a type of bridge troll. Hans submits the sample to a veterinarian working for the TSS, but is informed that it will take several days to yield meaningful results. The investigation into a farm where numerous trees have been uprooted leads Hans and the film crew to an abandoned mine, the lair of a pack of cave trolls (Dovregubbens). As they explore the mine, they unwittingly stumble upon the trolls' hidden sanctum. When the group is trapped inside, tensions escalate when Kalle confesses his Christian faith. The trolls detect Kalle's scent and closing in on their prey. In a desperate bid for safety, the group makes a frantic dash towards the daylight at the cave entrance, but Kalle is brutally killed before he can escape the clutches of the trolls.

As Hans grapples with the unconventional arrival of Malica, a devout Muslim, as their new camerawoman, he's beset by concerns about how this unexpected development will be received by the troll population. Finn, ever the pragmatist, demands that they venture north to troll territory to address the issue and regain control of the situation. The group's foray into the wilderness yields eerie signs of a Jotnar - a behemoth mountain troll standing at an astonishing 61 meters tall. Thomas's sudden illness serves as a stark reminder that the bite he suffered several days prior has taken a turn for the worse, with lab results confirming the presence of rabies in his system.

Hans's desperation to contain the crisis culminates in a daring effort to take down the Jotnar, employing a rocket-like projectile that ultimately petrifies the massive creature. Before accomplishing this feat, he instructs his companions to locate the highway, while Finn and his TSS agents arrive on the scene to seize the students' tapes as evidence of their incursion into troll territory. As chaos ensues, Thomas makes a break for it, fleeing with the camera in hand before collapsing at the side of a road just as the tape cuts off. The darkness is briefly illuminated by the approach of a truck hurtling down the road towards the stationary camera, leaving the viewer wondering what fate awaits Thomas.

The film's denouement is marked by an unsettling epilogue, which reveals that none of the students were ever heard from again, their fates left shrouded in mystery. Meanwhile, a news clip featuring Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg appears to tacitly acknowledge the existence of trolls, but this admission goes largely unnoticed by the press, further heightening the sense of unease and uncertainty that permeates the narrative.