How to Train Your Dragon
Voices of: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig
Directed by: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Rating: PG
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
2010
Times Seen:
Tim: 1
Summary: In a land of vikings, young Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) does not fit in as a dragon-killing warrior. Things change for him when he meets a never-before seen dragon, and the two form an unlikely friendship. As he uses his new-found dragon knowledge to his advantage, he rises up the ranks. However, his secret threatens to be revealed.
Review:
Tim: How to Train Your Dragon was a surprisingly great movie. The film was absolutely incredible to look at- the colors, the people, the dragons- it all flowed together in a picturesque way. The movie is truly beautiful. The animators did an outstanding job and everything looks so crisp and clear. I immediately got sucked into the world because it came to life so vividly on screen. What we can do with computers is impressive, but studios need to continue to push the boundaries- they need to give us that immersive viewing experience. You get that feeling here.
The voice cast was impressive. Jay Baruchel has such a unique voice, and it was perfect for Hiccup. I'm not a huge fan of him as an actor, but his voice work was incredible. He really helped the audience connect with his character. Part of the reason I loved this movie so much was because of the character of Hiccup, and Baruchel's voicework is the reason for this. Gerard Butler was inspired casting as his father. Butler surprised me with how well he brought his character to life. He has a strong, great voice for a viking warrior and was a great addition to the cast. The rest of the supporting cast is very good, too- American Ferrera, Jonah Hill, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse were all recognizable, yet didn't overwhelm the character with their voice. I enjoyed them, even though their characters were secondary.
I was a huge fan of the story, too. It was a surprisingly emotional tale about acceptance, revisiting our assumptions, innovation, and friendship. The movie has some powerful lessons for kids, but it never came across as preachy or cheesy. I thought the film blended those important themes into the story in an exceptional way. The movie mixed action, drama, and comedy extremely well together. It all came together in beautiful fashion on screen. The movie had a surprising amount of depth to it. I left the film actually feeling something, which does not always happen.
As you can tell, I am a big fan of this movie. I knew critics loved the film, but I didn't expect to like it so much myself. After years and years of Pixar getting the best of Dreamworks, I'm glad that Dreamworks finally hit a home run with this film.
I did not expect to enjoy this film as much as I did. I have been pretty down on Dreamworks animation in recent years- they just do not compare to Pixar. However, this film is a huge step in the direction of closing the gap between the two animation studios. I hope they create a real rivalry and push each other to higher and higher heights- when that happens, the audience wins.
How to Train Your Dragon is a great movie. It was beautiful, funny, exciting, and memorable. I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and believe it was one of the best films of the year.
Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 8
If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, Bee Movie