'How To Train Your Dragon' Review
Nominated for: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score.
Runtime: 98 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG (for sequences of intense action, some scary images, and brief mild language)
Who should see it? Appropriate for all ages, but younger viewers may be scared by dragons and combat sequences.
Based on Cressida Cowell's best-selling children's book, How To Train Your Dragon is co-directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders and features a screenplay penned by DeBlois, Sanders, and William Davies. Following its release, How To Train Your Dragon quickly became one of Dreamworks' flagship franchises alongside the likes of Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda. A television series, four animated short films, an arena and ice show, and several comic-books, graphic novels, and video games were all inspired by the film. While merchandising, awards and noteworthy box office receipts undoubtedly played a hand in green-lighting those offshoots, I think there's a deeper reason why the feature was such a hit... Audiences resonated with the tale of a boy befriending a dragon.
It's the classic "human bonds with an otherworldly creature" story everyone's familiar with, but involving species prejudice with the twist of a Viking-era Nordic setting. At its core, How To Train Your Dragon is all about acceptance though. DeBlois, Sanders, and Davies implore us not to judge a book by its cover or allow our perspective to be clouded by stereotypes. The messaging is pretty profound for an animated film, and it's communicated with such subtlety via the Hiccup/Toothless relationship. Heart trickles through every frame of this feature largely due to the bond formed between them. There's just something so endearing about watching the two begin to trust one another.
Of course, it helps tremendously that the CG-animation is so detail-oriented and well-realized, with plenty of attention drawn to texture, environments, and character design. In particular, there's a dynamic versatility evidenced in Toothless' design which enables him to quickly alternate from a fierce, fire-breathing Night Fury to an adorable pet dragon of sorts. The change of expression is articulated immediately once his eyes widen and his ears perk up. Otherwise, I must say that the animation holds up remarkably well considering it's nine years old, and the varied dragon designs ought to be commended. I also can't continue without applauding John Powell for his sumptuous score.
Lastly, the voice cast composed of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, and Kristen Wiig who each lend an array of warm personalities to their respective roles. Front and center, Jay Baruchel is aptly awkward and unsure of himself as Hiccup while Gerard Butler plays his father, Stoick, as a gruff Viking chieftain and concerned parental figure. Aside from the Hiccup/Toothless relationship, their father and son interactions lend further emotional weight to the proceedings when all is said and done.
Full of heart and high-flying adventure, How To Train Your Dragon soars mighty high amongst my favorite animation!
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