Trollhunters

The series never fully shakes off the rigid, by-the-numbers storytelling, or its underdeveloped characters, but the frequent moments of heart and humor elevate what would otherwise be a cold, slick thing of stone.

The series, based on the book of the same name by Daniel Kraus and del Toro, is well written, although it relies on stock character situations such as the young hero standing up to the school bully; the awkward, overweight sidekick learning that he is more capable than he thinks he is; and the popular high school girl becoming friendly with a kid from a lower social stratum. All of it works, though, because Trollhunters mostly wants to tell a gripping story.

Trollhunters has a nice vibe to it. There is an ’80s “Goonies” flair, but it is also has intelligence and flashes of wit, such as when a creature hums “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edvard Grieg as it goes in for a kill, or when Toby finds out Juliet dies in “Romeo and Juliet.” Otherwise Trollhunters follows the formula for these sorts of stories, uncomfortable teen by day and superhero at night.

What makes Trollhunters stand out, in the early episodes, is another del Toro trademark: the design of the monsters, who are significantly more interesting to look at and listen to than their human counterparts.

There’s not much verbal wit in Trollhunters--the jokes are pitched to a kid audience that has probably heard better ones in DreamWorks feature films such as How to Train Your Dragon and Shrek. But it looks terrific, with sleek animation that moves back and forth between human and troll worlds with fluid skill.