The ending of Season 2 for Hilda left a big cliffhanger that kept fans like myself waiting anxiously to know what would be happening to our favorite blue heroine. Answers would be given in a feature-length presentation called Hilda and The Mountain King based on the comic from creator Luke Pearson which follows the events of what happened after we last saw Hilda in the body of a troll. The wait seemed to be worth it as this new story from the Hilda creators is just as much enticing as the successful Netflix show itself with many fun escapades and heartfelt sentiment.
Taking Place after the events of Season 2, Hilda (Bella Ramsey) wakes up in the body of a troll after being a victim of a changling spell. She tries to escape back to Trollburg, only to find out that she can’t leave when the sun is up or she’ll be petrified. Hilda realizes she need help to turn back to human form so she finds the help of a tall troll trapped by bells to do some tasks for her so that maybe he could turn Hilda back to normal. Meanwhile, Hilda’s Mum (Dasiy Haggard) finds a troll child posing as a human in Hilda's bed and tries to find Hilda out in the forest with the help of Hilda’s friends and even the arrogant Erik Ahlberg (John Hopkins) who plans to rid Trollburg of Trolls for good.
It helps to know the Hilda Series as a whole before you watch this movie, but even as a standalone feature, it knows how to keep you invested in these already loveable characters with an adventure that brings on the sadness and trauma but also the childlike wonder of the entire situation. The movie follows the same formula you would find in a typical Hilda episode but since everything is now at movie length, everything becomes a little tenser than ever before. The adventure is full of mystery and in conjunction with the series, the movie managed to be full of charm and wonderful writing that managed to put a smile on my face. The only thing I think could have been a little better is the reveal of The Mountain King as it isn’t too hard to guess who it is, but at the same time, they don’t cheat the audience as the storytelling is still engaging even if the main antagonist may lose some of the shock value. If you loved the Hilda series at its best, then this film will no doubt give you the same feelings as in the show itself as this movie is worthy enough to carry the Hilda title.
The Characters you remember from the show come back for the movie and they are just as charming and lovable as ever before. Relationships between characters are very well balanced and the emotions feel genuine. Hilda is at her most heartfelt as there are plenty of things to enjoy while being a troll but also drawbacks that keep her from ever returning to her home in Trollburg. Hilda’s Mum also is very engaging as the lengths she’ll go to find her daughter really speaks to how much she really cares about wanting Hilda to be safe with her. The troll characters are also well written, especially Trylla who is mysterious but gentle and kind. One thing I deeply admire is that not everything is one sided like the people are bad and trolls are good because this movie shows that trolls are just as complex as people as they can be angry and attack when necessary out of their own personal issues just like how people can be the same way. The one character I felt like his progression was rushed is Erik, whose change of heart by the end of the story felt a little forced and not entirely earned. I understand what they were going for but I felt that Erik’s journey into coming to his conclusion didn’t feel very satisfying even though the writers had great intentions. Aside from him, the rest of the main characters as well as the side ones work great with each other and make the journey much more enticing to watch.
The Animation may have some restrictions since the Toon Boom Animation software is the same software the animators use in the show, but that does not stop this movie in any way from being a visually gorgeous and stylistic piece of work that was made popular in the show. The movie has a specific color palette with uses a lot of sharp primary colors including red to signify danger and blue to signify cool and calm environments. One really cool thing is how the movie starts with a creative opening credit sequence that looks like something out of a James Bond film but done in the same Hilda style that fans have come to expect. The other thing this movie gets right is the character animations and their expressive eyes. The eyes of the characters have so much more work to do seeing as they can show off happiness, sadness, and even complex scared emotions. The size and scope for this movie is far beyond what has been accomplished in the show already and you can tell the animators stepped up their game big time to create a long and visually dazzling experience.
The Music is done by Ryan Carlson and the orchestrated tunes match very well with the calm and subtle electric keyboard music that most fans remember from the show. The soothing tunes are all present and accounted for and they are accompanied by surprising dramatic orchestrations that make everything seem larger than life. The music isn’t gonna win any awards for most memorable tracks ever created, but they will no doubt make you feel many emotions depending on the scene.
This is a solidly crafted follow-up that has everything we loved about Hilda and much more with its clever writing that is engaging for kids and adults as well as a boatload of charm that made the series such a staple of Netflix cartoons. I may have a few issues regarding some of the character progressions as well as plot points that don’t exactly add up in the long run, but those issues were not dealbreakers as everything else from the film’s atmosphere and the execution of the storytelling were in spirit to everything that has happened in the series thus far. This movie remembers how to talk to kids while giving them an adventure with excitement and heartfelt moments. It's still unclear if there will be a Season 3 after this, but if this is the last we get to see of Hilda, then it's alright by me, even if I personally would love to see more
(Final Grade: A-)