Movie Review: "How to Train Your Dragon"

Seen on: March 20, 2010

The players: Directors: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders, Writers: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders, Cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Facts of interest: None.

The plot: Hiccup is a young Viking who wants to learn how to kill dragons, until he encounters an injured one that makes him change his views.

Our thoughts: Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders’ “How to Train Your Dragon” is a fantastic big-screen adventure, and it looks gorgeous in 3D. It’s a thrilling ride young viewers and their parents will undoubtedly enjoy to the fullest extent, and it’s exactly the kind of animated project that reminds us why this new technology is really worth admiring. No seriously, it’s a blast.

Jay Baruchel voices Hiccup, a young Viking who’s utterly convinced he’s got what it takes to hunt and kill the ruthless dragons that keep tearing apart his precious village. Despite his poor physique, he has made it his goal to train hard and fight along his fearless father, but so far, most of his attempts have failed. People in his village see him as a joke, not a warrior

Everything starts changing when he runs across an injured dragon he ends up naming Toothless. As time goes by, Hiccup realizes that Toothless is anything but a brutal killing machine, and the more time he spends with the sensitive dragon, the more he sees himself growing attached to what his friends still consider one of the most dangerous beasts.

What follows is a heartwarming story about a young boy who sees his views challenged as he learns more about how dragons really function and why they feel all this aggression toward humans. Hiccup makes it his mission to fight for the safety of Toothless and convince the Vikings to stop hunting dragons, and watching him embark on his quest is a thrilling adventure filled with surprises.

While “How to Train Your Dragon” isn’t exactly an innovative adventure in terms of central story line and thematic, the movie still succeeds in building high-quality suspense and a solid dose of first-class action that will kidnap your attention and suck you straight into an exciting animated world you’ll want to keep exploring long after the movie is over.

The folks at DreamWorks have created beautiful 3D animation, and if you want to get the best out of this excellent film, I highly recommend you see is in IMAX 3D. The landscapes are stunning, the colors really pop and most of the big action sequences make you feel like you’re riding a rollercoaster. Trust me, this flick guarantees a whole bunch of memorable “wow” moments.

While the technical aspects of “How to Train Your Dragon” certainly boost the film’s overall quality, its delightful story deserves a decent amount of credit as well. No, it’s certainly not as emotional as unique as Pixar’s work, but the characters are easy to like and the relationship between Hiccup and Toothless is a heartwarming one to explore.

Freaky quote: "Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile." - Jay Baruchel

The final word: A lot of work went into this production, and the result is a film you shouldn’t miss. The screening I attended was packed with kids, and not one of them moved a muscle. They were all staring at the screen, wondering where this thrilling ride would take them next. “How to Train Your Dragon” is a spectacular experience, so give it a shot.

Article by Franck Tabouring