How To Train Your Dragon
After a young boy, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (the voice of Jay Baruchel from the recent She’s Out of My League), who lives in Berk, finds a little wounded dragon in a forest, he is determined to catch one and train it to prove to his father that he is a Viking. When he becomes friends with the dragon he names Toothless he trains it so he can show the Vikings that the world can be seen from a different point of view, and that strangers, especially animals, are not instantly enemies.
With voices by America Ferrera, Gerald Butler and Craig Ferguson, the film certainly has some well-known celebrities as its main characters. However, so much time is spent on battle scenes and numerous other characters that you soon lose touch of where the story is going, which is a shame as I thought it had great graphics and this was a creative idea for a film. Unfortunately, the story lacks a strong script and has very basic graphics, which make the film feel forced sometimes. Several of the scenes were repetitious, and after about an hour you just wish the film would make a point and move forward with the plot.
One of the problems with this film is that the story seems very familiar to others that we have seen recently, especially Avatar and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, which both involve inventors trying to impress their fathers. The film also tried to “force” the romance between Astrid (Ferrera) and Hiccup, with Astrid not wanting anything to do with Hiccup at first, and then suddenly changing her mind and being affectionate with him. Even though this is an animated movie, compared to a live-action one, there are just some things that can’t be forced on-screen. I should also mention there are some serious words thrown between Hiccup and his father, which doesn’t exactly portray a cheerful scenario for children to watch on-screen.
Overall, I would say that this film portrays a decent story, but there are not enough sparks between the characters to keep the audience entertained, and therefore I would recommend watching another film with more pulse, details, and humor for a good graphic film.
How To Train Your Dragon • Dolby® Digital surround sound in select theatres • Aspect Ratio: 1.44:1 (IMAX)/1.85:1 (35mm) • Running Time: 98 minutes • MPAA Rating: PG for sequences of intense action and some scary images, and brief mild language. • Distributed by Paramount Pictures