With The Voices Of: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrara, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, David Tennant
Directed By: Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders
In preparation for the release of the sequel, I rewatched the original How To Train Your Dragon. It really does hold up on repeat viewings. I believe I put the film in my Top 10 in 2011. It was a first, for me, with Dreamworks Animation. Sure, they’ve created some funny masterpieces in the past, but nothing with the heart of a Pixar movie. The Madagascar franchise is entertaining, perhaps, but it lacks the emotional depth of Wall-E or Up. How To Train Your Dragon is Dreamworks Animation’s prestige picture.
Dragon features a young Hiccup whose boldness comes in knowing when not to attack, and instead in how to innovate and invent. He’s a lover, not a fighter. He changes the future of his Viking tribe, and he’s geeky, and he gets the girl. What’s not to love? It doesn’t play dumb either, which makes it a great film for adults to watch as well as kids. It’s a great adventure.
Looking forward to seeing the sequel.
FINAL GRADE: A
