How to Train Your Dragon is a funny set of movies. I went and saw it with family friends for a seven-year-old’s birthday. However, I have some friends who recently graduated high school that dressed up for the midnight showing. This is a fantasy series with wide appeal, and what’s not to like about a family-friendly adventure featuring steampunk vikings riding dragons. So, here’s my spoiler-free review of How to Train Your Dragon 2.
(Note: I haven’t read the books yet- I know, shame on me- so I won’t be able to give any commentary about how the books and the movies line up.)
This movie has a fairly simple plot that relies in many places on the events of the last movie. You don’t have to have seen How to Train Your Dragon to watch this, but it would help. Personally, I expected the movie to end on a cliffhanger, but I was pleasantly surprised at the ending I got.
The main character, Hiccup, still retains some of his quirky awkwardness from the first movie, despite his personal growth. If you liked the fact that he wasn’t the super-cool action hero type, you will still enjoy him here. Hiccup’s relationships with other characters are the driving force of this story. His relationship with his dragon is entertaining and touching. His relationship with his father is realistic and develops throughout the film. It is also a central part of the plot. Hiccup’s relationship with a newly introduced character,(the identity of whom is a spoiler, so I will not reveal it), is also very interesting and important. As for the rest of the cast, the love-interest, Astrid is a cliche tough-girl. You know, the kind who is better than the male lead at almost everything? If you enjoy that trope, you will like her. I was turned off to that character, but not to the movie as a whole. The villain is definitely bad, but he seems facelessly evil and rather bland. The supporting cast was goofy. I found myself able to overlook flaws with these characters, because the movie isn’t about them. It’s about Hiccup. That is where the focus is most of the time.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a beautifully animated fantasy. The dragon-flight scenes are captivating and exciting. The dragon design is fun, and the human characters are cartoon and quirky, but still believable as people. The film seemed to deviate from classic fantasy style and slip into an almost sci-fi realm in some places, (which I don’t mind at all). One example is Hiccup’s rather steampunk inventions. Another is the introduction of the alpha species of dragon, from which all the other dragons came.
Overall, this is a coming-of-age story. The theme is discovering one’s self. Hiccup has to wade through the influences in his life, and determine what truly makes him who he is. This theme seemed a bit clunky when it was conveyed in the character dialogue, but it was downright touching when conveyed in the character relationships. You might even cry. I did.
If you enjoyed the first How to Train Your Dragon Movie, I would recommend seeing this one as well. If you’re interested in seeing exciting and entertaining, family friendly fantasy, then this is a good film for you. I don’t regret adding this to the list of summer movies I have seen.
Least Favorite Part: Astrid, the love-interest, interrogating a dragon-catcher on her way to rescue her hapless boyfriend, Hiccup. For me, her attempts to be tough and sweet at the same time fall flat.
Favorite Part: Hiccup and his dragon, Toothless, are the best of friends. The parts of the movie with just the two of them adventuring are always my favorite.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this review. As always, you can let me know what you think in the comments.
Keep on glowing in the dark,
Elora
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