Hilda and the Mountain King review: Season 2 ends with a movie about troll life

It’s hard to imagine a scenario more terrifying than rescuing your child from certain danger, then waking up the next morning to find a stranger’s child sleeping in her bed. That’s exactly what happens at the end of the second season of Netflix’s essential animated show Hilda. For over a year, fans have waited to finally see the cliffhanger solved.

The beginning of Hilda the Mountain King, the film that caps the series’ second season, Hilda became a troll while Baba the changeling, troll-baby has taken her place and has now become a human toddler. Baba’s mother used troll magic to swap the two, wanting to provide her daughter with the comfortable life of a human. Hilda wakes up in the trolls’ cave dwelling, with a body made of stone. Baba wakes up in Hilda’s bed, a great shock to Hilda’s mother, who spends the rest of the episode desperately searching for her daughter. This film is a great feature-length. HildaEpisode, but its 84 minute runtime allows it to elevate the stakes of this low-key series in a suitable manner. It tackles some of Trolberg’s enduring mysteries.

It’s hard not to miss the familiar galavanting-around-Trolberg antics that a full season of the show would offer. But troll-human conflict has always been at the heart of the show, so it’s good to see MountaineeringFinally, the film addresses its mysteries. It uses the same rhythm as a documentary about a familiar subject. Hilda episode — Hilda has gotten into trouble, and has to use her bravery and cunning to work out a solution. The movie focuses on a question that’s always underpinned the series: why trolls live around the city of Trolberg, in spite of humanity’s obvious antagonism against them.

Hilda’s interest in trolls has been a constant. Her first exposure to them was in the series pilot. Hilda sketches one in her forest habitat. After moving to Trolberg, she increasingly advocates for trolls’ well-being, pushing back against the taskforce that “protects” the city. Troll-human tensions are slowly increasing throughout. Hilda’s two seasons, whether the conflicts are humming in the background, or taking center stage as the subject of an episode.

Image courtesy of Netflix

As a human, Hilda pushed to ask questions about things the city residents took as givens — primarily, why Trolberg uses bells to “protect” their residents, when they obviously cause trolls so much pain. In her new troll form, Hilda gets a firsthand understanding of the grievances trolls have, and the variation — in physical form and beliefs — within their community. Some of these divergences are goofy, as many of them collect specific items like “soft bedding” or “teapots and mugs.” Some of them are terrifying, as in the trolls who wish to collectively destroy Trolberg, vs. those who simply wish to live undisturbed. Living as a Troll can be really fun. They’re incredibly strong, with bodies that are more durable than human bodies. Their hobbies include “throwing each other,” which allows them to soar through the air. These are Hilda’s top qualities as an explorer.

It also turns out trolls and humans have commonalities: Both the troll mother and Hilda’s mom wish to reunite with their daughters, even though the troll-mother made the swap in the first place. Much of the film hinges on this storytelling parallel, the “finding similarities” trope that’s common in children’s media, and which often creates the conditions for a simple, positive resolution. But where children’s media often uses this idea to create a false sense of equality between two factions — even if one of them is the aggressor and oppressor — Mountaineering pulls no punches. This false dichotomy is refuted by the fact that humans are responsible for trolls’ real and severe suffering. The document shows that trolls are a larger community and deserves compassion even though some have responded with violence to humans. They used their power to incite violence against the trolls, and then took advantage of them to cause more harm.

Hilda is still a kids’ show, and Hilda still does save the day. Frida, David and her friends spend much of the movie with them. To justify the use of lethal force against trolls, I am fighting an anti-troll campaign. Season 2 is a strong wrap thanks to its weight and gravity. The story’s payoff, which sees a girl move to a different city, was especially impressive. The change she experiences first changes her life, but then her friends and family also make changes. In this well-orchestrated narrative clarity, with its sharp plotting, the movie loses a bit of the show’s spontaneity and unpredictability. Still, it’s short and sweet.

Image courtesy of Netflix

It’s hard not to miss the goofier, out-of-pocket antics of regular episodes of HildaThese not only provide a variety of options, but can also significantly lighten your mood. MountaineeringAlthough there are some moments of humor and humor in the movie, its general tone remains more dark than usual, and occasionally veers into child-friendly horror. (Though the entire film is arguably a kid’s horror story — being separated from a primary caretaker can be a terrifying prospect for a child, as Disney has long recognized.)

This is more important than all other things Hilda the Mountain KingSets the scene Hilda’s third season, given the potential of its world. It opens doors to new adventures and questions. How will the townspeople — who aren’t particularly known for their open-mindedness — react to the changes that take place in this movie? Hilda’s friends will go on what adventures. It all leaves me itching for more ensemble adventures, more Sparrow Scout badges, more wild creatures to meet, and ultimately, more space spent in this world I’ve come to love.

Hilda, Hilda, and the Mountain KingNetflix now has it streaming.