Review: How To Train Your Dragon

How To Train Your Dragon

OPENING: 03/26/2010

STUDIO: DreamWorks

RUN TIME: 98 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Everything we know about them is wrong.

Opening Statement
How To Train Your Dragon, DreamWorks’ new 3D adventure will surely touch the hearts of patrons of any age. With its amazing 3D visuals, comedic and loveable characters, as well as its thoughtful and exhilarating plot; DreamWorks has surely outdone themselves. Not only have they produced their best movie since Shrek; they’ve prolonged their streak of respectable 3D films, a streak that includes the Shrek and Madagascar franchises, Kung Fu Panda, and Monsters Vs. Aliens. How To Train Your Dragon is no exception, and has certainly made a very early bid to win 2010’s Best Animated Feature Oscar. Move over Disney. DreamWorks may be the new king of the animation world.

Facts of the Case
In the village of Berk, the Viking men are large, muscular, and totally hell-bent on doing one thing and one thing only. Killing every dragon that invades and plunders their village’s food supply. Led by their leader Stoick (Gerard Butler, Law Abiding Citizen), the worth and significance of a man is measured on whether or not you’re able to slay dragons. Stoick’s young son Hiccup (Jay Baruchel, She’s Out Of My League) on the other hand, is a different story. He’s never slain a dragon, nor is he buff and burly like the other inhabitants of Berk. Due to his differences, he is estranged from his father, and he wants to do something about it.

During the latest raid on the village, Hiccup manages to shoot a dragon down from the sky, unfortunately without anyone around to witness it. He journeys to find the fallen predator to finish him off, but when he finally locates him, Hiccup is unable to complete the kill. As days go by, he spends more and more time with his dragon (which he names Toothless) and learns that he is not dangerous at all. After training him and learning about dragons including why they have no choice but to constantly pillage Berk; Hiccup makes a daring decision to not only attempt to win his father’s approval, but also to try and change the entire village’s outlook regarding the majestic creatures, and ultimately eliminate the violence and the killing once and for all.

The Evidence
This movie may be rated PG, and may have been made specifically with the children in mind, but by all means do not let that prevent you from heading to the cinema and seeing it! How To Train Your Dragon has so much going for it in the department of charms and delights, it is sure to gladden every moviegoer in attendance.

Though this film is very loosely based on a simplistic children’s novel penned by English author Cressida Cowell, the film’s story surprisingly has a lot of depth and intrigue in it. The movie boasts multiple storylines, such as Hiccup’s developing friendship with Toothless, his never-ending quest to try and win favor in his father’s eyes, as well as a small love angle he shares with a female character named Astrid (America Ferrera, Ugly Betty). For a film that looked like it would be about nothing more than a boy and his pet, I was surprised at the level of deepness and maturity. A big kudos to directors/writers Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, who also collaborated back in the day on the Disney smash hits Mulan and Lilo and Stitch.

It’s more than safe to say that 2010 has gotten off to a great start graphics wise, thanks in large part to Alice In Wonderland and now How To Train Your Dragon. The best parts about the 3D animation in this film were the overhead shots of the village Berk, the seas and the woods. It’s absolutely incredible, and the 3D glasses are well worth the extra couple of dollars you’ll drop at the ticket window. The final battle scene just screams epic, especially when the dragon’s fire touches and mixes with the water. The dragons and humans look good too, bringing us back to past hits such as Toy Story and Up, but the finest elements of 3D are certainly the overhead shots of the landscapes. It basically makes you feel like you’re on the Soarin’ ride in EPCOT. And for those of you who’ve flown that baby before, you know how magical a feeling it can be to fly through the air as if you’re a bird. The way this movie makes you feel is just like that.

Did anybody else see this and think to themselves that maybe Gerard Butler should just stay behind the scenes in dabble strictly in voice acting? I swear the films he’s done lately (Bounty Hunter, Gamer) have been flat out abysmal. But his voicing for the masculine macho man Stoick is pretty darn good. I wish I could say the same for Baruchel’s voicing of Hiccup, but his work is a little bit harder to sugarcoat. Hiccup is barely a teenager. Baruchel’s voice just kind of made him sound like a goofy kid dealing with a bout of emphysema. He sounded sort of silly throughout the entire movie, and, when it was done, that’s my only real complaint regarding How To Train Your Dragon.

Aside from the graphics, the best thing that this film has is that “feel-good” element. The ending does contain a pretty noteworthy surprise twist on the realistic/morose side of things. But aside from that, the movie is centered on an underdog of a kid who makes all the right decisions. He rejects killing, he devotes himself to trying to get his village to shun war, and when all is said and done, decides to help the dragons with their predicament rather than just act indifferent and selfish. To me, How To Train Your Dragon is a movie that kids nowadays just need to see. Hiccup acts as such an outstanding role model, and with all of the risqué, negative influences kids have easy access to in this day and age, seeing a movie with all these positive vibes and morals sprinkled throughout should be a very welcome change of pace.

Closing Statement
How To Train Your Dragon is an absolutely solid piece of filmmaking. With its funny characters, superb 3D effects, and positive lessons and morals; this movie isn’t one that can only be appreciated by children and folks of younger ages, but teenagers and adults can learn a thing or two about life also. Bottom line: How To Train Your Dragon will easily soar sky high into your minds and hearts, and should be a dragon at both the box office and at the Academy Awards presentation next February.

The Verdict
9/10

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