Troll(1986)
1986 · John Carl Buechler · 83 min
When a family moves into a San Francisco apartment, an opportunistic troll decides to make his move and take possession of little Wendy, thereby paving the way for new troll recruits, the first in his army that will take eventual control of the planet. We soon discover Torok is the ex-husband of Eunice St. Clair, a resident in the building who was married to Torok.
Fantasy · Horror
5.1275 votes
TMDB score
1/5
Intensity
1/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How Troll scares
Watching this feels more like a goofy fantasy adventure than anything genuinely scary, with cheesy creature effects and a lighthearted tone throughout. The pace bounces along with silly magical mischief rather than building any real dread, and the small monster at the center is more strange and playful than threatening. There's barely any blood or violence, and nothing here is likely to unsettle you afterward. It's a good pick for kids or anyone who wants a fun, campy throwback rather than a real scare.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Troll rates psychological 1/5, visceral 1/5, gore 1/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 1/5.
- Psychological: 1 of 5
- Visceral: 1 of 5
- Gore: 1 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 1 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 35 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 20 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 10 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A goofy, low-stakes creature romp that stays light and playful with only mild bursts of tension near the end.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3.
How scary is Troll?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Troll rates 1/5 — gentle by horror standards, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be restrained with gore and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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