Editor-in-training Ja’Nyah Villa is a three-year member of the Wildcat Chronicle who frequently writes opinion pieces. The views expressed in this piece are her own.
“Trolls” is an ongoing children’s franchise that revolves around a fantasy world filled with colors, music, adventure, and some incredibly mature themes.
The first “Trolls” movie was released in 2016 and the franchise has grown increasingly popular over the years. The third movie, “Trolls Band Together,” was released in 2023 and had some questionable moments, which probably contributed to its rating of 6/10 on IMDb, and is PG.
It is not news that kids’ movies often slip in a mature joke or two for the parents sitting through them, but the so-called “jokes” in the “Trolls” movies are so distinct that they do not go over the heads of children. Especially now, when the average age at which kids have access to the internet is under 12. Having access to the internet at a young age, especially if not regulated and overseen, causes children to stumble into territories that may be too mature. Being exposed to violent, sexual, or crude content will only lead to desensitization, emotional immaturity, and loss of innocence.
UNICEF, an organization that strives to protect children, states that “While many jurisdictions have effectively restricted children’s access to pornography in non-digital media…efforts to do the same in digital environments have not been effective.”
When the creators of children’s movies such as “Trolls” decide to include one too many jokes or lyrics that contain sexual or violent innuendos, they are actively exposing children to content that can alter their behavior in harmful ways.
The lewd lyrics begin in the first movie of the “Trolls” franchise. Justin Timberlake, a former member of NSYNC, and voice actor for the character of Branch, wrote the song “Can’t Stop The Feeling “ for the movie. In 2016, the song was number one on the Billboard charts for its catchy chorus and upbeat instrumentals. Just imagine a top song, playing on the radio, in grocery stores, and other children-populated spaces, that’s about carnal intimacy. Its message is unequivocal: “And under the lights when everything goes / Nowhere to hide when I’m getting you close / When we move / Well, you already know.”
The intensity increases in the second movie, “Trolls World Tour.” In the song “Trolls Wanna Have Good Times,” the third verse is odd: “The chills that you spill up my back / Keep me filled with satisfaction /When we’re done/satisfaction is what to come /I couldn’t ask for another.”
Finally, in “Trolls Band Together,” the most inappropriate lyric was from the song “Let’s Get Married,” where one of the characters is getting ready for her wedding: “Ooh, baby, baby, b-baby, baby / Brush it (brush it) / Wax it (wax it) / Shave it (shave it) / P-push it real good.”
The songs – and even some jokes – in the “Trolls” series are far too inappropriate for a kid’s movie. The “Trolls” franchise should be rated PG-13, and future films should do a better job of hiding jokes and lyrics like these.
This song and others beg the question: Why are writers sexualizing children? PG-rated movies are increasingly inappropriate. This could be because children are losing their innocence at an earlier age than previous generations, but even so, society should be pushing to change that notion, not conform to it. Similarly, many forms of media disguise mature content and promote it to children.
This effort to push mature content onto children is so dangerous to the youth, because not only is it planting seeds in their minds but children who emotionally mature quicker than others have higher risks of mental health issues and other unfortunate behavior. This includes anxiety, depression, lack of confidence, and more. That is why it is so important to oversee a child’s media consumption.
