How to Train Your Dragon (2010) Reviews

"You see, most places have mice or mosquitoes. We have...dragons."

With Pixar's unparalleled run of computer-animated critical and commercial hits during the latter half of the 1990s, other studios began scrambling to mimic - or at least get a share of - this success. When Shrek was released in 2001, it appeared that DreamWorks was a strong competitor for Pixar's crown in this realm, but alas, in following years, DreamWorks started being treated like a second-class citizen, and not without reason - while Pixar continued to produce animated movies which transcended the limitations of the form, DreamWorks began churning out a stream of profitable but painfully formulaic and generally lazy animated efforts like Bee Movie, Shark Tale and the Madagascar flicks. But their latest, How to Train Your Dragon, is a dramatic gear shift for the studio. This is the sort of excellent family flick that DreamWorks led us to expect would be the norm when Shrek made its debut. Technically proficient and witty, this is a rip-snorting 3-D action fable which seamlessly blends humour and heart. There are no fart jokes, pop culture references or annoying R&B songs in How to Train Your Dragon, which surely represents an artistic growth for DreamWorks. There's no mistaking this for Up or WALL-E, but it's a good-natured charmer.

Based on the first book in a popular series by Cressida Cowell, How to Train Your Dragon takes place in a fictional medieval-era village. The resident Vikings of this village are in a constant state of battle with the marauding dragons that steal their livestock. Since the entire existence of the Vikings revolves about battling dragons, the biggest, burliest men are the most prized members of the community, which puts the hero of the film - an awkward teen named Hiccup (Baruchel) - in a bit of a bind. He desperately wishes to join the grand ranks of the dragon killers, but he's small, skinny, and blessed with more brains than biceps. Regardless, during a battle he uses an invention of his to take down a Night Fury dragon, but finds himself unable to finish the job. Instead, he becomes secret friends with the dragon, whom he dubs "Toothless". As this friendship blossoms, the observant Hiccup learns that the Vikings have hopelessly misjudged the dragon species.

Written and directed by the duo of Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders (Disney veterans whose prior collaboration was the hand-drawn Lilo & Stitch in 2003, which explains why Toothless looks a lot like Stitch), How to Train Your Dragon skilfully merges the animated medium's propensity for action, sentiment and humour. Thankfully, the humour is deployed with an elegant touch - the writer-directors never allow the story to devolve into a simple-minded parody, while at the same time they recognised the inherent comedy of the predicaments presented in the film.
The core of the picture spotlights the relationship between Toothless and Hiccup, and how they develop a lasting bond which teaches them the value of tolerance and curiosity. This relationship provides the film with its sweetness and heart. By the conclusion of the second act, the movie even treads into E.T. territory. In fact, some have praised this film as being the E.T. of this generation. While How to Train Your Dragon does not deserve such dizzyingly high praise, it's at least easy to understand the comparison.

The message of How to Train Your Dragon is simple: war and violence are usually the result of misunderstandings. Such a message is all-too-appropriate for 2010's world climate. Thankfully, the message is not hammered into the narrative, but instead flows effortlessly out of it. That said, the whole narrative is a familiar one. With Hiccup beginning as an unlikely, hopeless hero with big aspirations, the conclusion of the formulaic "zero to hero" storyline is foregone from the start. The third act story beats in particular are awfully predictable. Additionally, while How to Train Your Dragon is the cleverest and most mature DreamWorks animated movie since Shrek, it still feels like a commercial product created with more concern for the tightest running time possible. As a result, character motivations shift at the convenience of moving the plot forward, and there are contrivances which make the writing seem lazy (Toothless "sensing" that Hiccup is in trouble at one point is a prime offender).

With each passing year, the CGI in animated movies continues to approach photorealism, and the most beneficial step upwards in this respect is the improved ability to animate emotional expression. Due to the technological advances, characters can be more nuanced in expressing love and fear (among other emotions), even if said character is a dragon. How to Train Your Dragon is frankly a phenomenal visual experience, and it's blessed with several crackerjack set-pieces. The opening battle is wonderfully energetic, while the flight sequences are absolutely exhilarating. Meanwhile, the final battle sequence is a knockout - a cinematic tour de force which would be impressive in any movie, live action or animated. Since the movie takes its time to develop the characters, tension is felt whenever they're placed in peril. As a result, the climax can proudly stand alongside any CGI-heavy blockbuster, even Avatar! While discussing the visuals, it'd be best to also mention the 3-D. Unobtrusive 3-D is the most immersive 3-D, and this is the case here. It provides the screen with depth, and heightens the immersive nature of the experience.

The vocal cast features a delightful blend of actors who would probably have been cast in the same roles if this were a live-action feature. Jay Baruchel is always playing a nerd/loser (She's Out of My League, which was released about a week before How to Train Your Dragon, is a good example of this), and he's good at it. Happily, Baruchel's vocal performance as Hiccup is excellent, and he affords the character a charm which makes him easy to like. Alongside Baruchel, Gerard Butler is excellently authoritative as the village chief, while Craig Ferguson is easily likeable as a Viking who's missing a few limbs but none of his pride. The dragon-slayers-in-training are voiced by such actors as America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Kristen Wiig, some of whom are Judd Apatow regulars. Even T.J. Miller lends his voice to a character, and he co-starred alongside Baruchel in She's Out of My League!

It must be noted that How to Train Your Dragon works on a different level to most other animated movies due to how exhilarating and adventure-filled the entire enterprise is. The movie falls short of achieving trademark Pixar greatness, yet it achieves a sustained note of integrity, charm and exhilaration that's rare in the family film genre. Without the proverbial DreamWorks slapstick (for the most part), the film is a triumph that encourages genuine awe and plenty of smiles while delivering high-flying splendour. Also, it sends a positive message to its target audience about the perils of fear and prejudice, which is more than what can be said for the usual DreamWorks output full of fart jokes and musical numbers. Most importantly, How to Train Your Dragon is one of those family films which adults can enjoy both with and without children.

8.4/10

''While other places have ponies, or parrots... we have dragons.''

A hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed.

Jay Baruchel: Hiccup (voice)

Dreamworks always has a sense of humour when it comes to animated projects. Shrek was hilariously truthful from the company while Kung Fu Panda had the same effect with me. This year 2010 brings to our attention the latest project: How to Train Your Dragon. Is it another feel good, heart warming comic hit? In a one word response, YES! Needlessly to say, in 3D the whole affair soars and sizzles as it strokes and tantalises the synapses. It will make you fall in love with animated films all over again.



How to Train Your Dragon is based on the novel by Cressida Cowell and the film uses William Davies screenplay. Direction comes from a joint effort in the guise of Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders. Everyone does an excellent job with the visuals, the story and the simplicity of creativeness and entertainment striving hand in hand.
Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller...To name but a few all give voices and essentially bring the characters to life alongside the animation.

The story is a simple one yet it is ultimately very special and demands your attention yet never overly tries to. How to Train Your Dragon is a moral lesson revolving around ignorance and two species that strongly hate each other without ever knowing fully why. Hiccup is the reluctant hero Viking and if you will revolutionary for his people. Stoik is the father and leader of the village. Stoik and his people to begin with cannot understand Hiccup because he is different, he thinks and has creative tendencies. So as proceedings carry on and the film explains to us the situation thus he meets and captures a dragon. Thus it turns his World and his thoughts on dragons upside down. The two species dragons and humans both misunderstand each other, Hiccup and Toothless(The Black Dragon) forge a friendship and bond stronger than life itself.
The visuals, soundtrack, story are all larger than life. How to Train Your Dragon is fun for adult and child alike and has some of the best uses of 3D I've ever seen thus so far. The flying sequences even rival Avatar in terms of momentum and thrilling exhilaration.

Overall, How to Train Your Dragon is one of the best films this year in terms of animation and from Dreamworks. This is the loving, simple story of courage, friendship and overcoming ignorance. Peace and two very different yet very alike species coming together, overcoming misunderstanding and hatred. Everything probably has been done many times before in terms of story telling yet it's done in a way that is fresh and fun. No matter how many times creativity merges with entertainment and moral ambiguity, no matter the relevance or originality, projects like How to Train Your Dragon will always capture the imagination and minds of dreamy audiences everywhere. You go in feeling whatever your feeling, you finish the film with a happy glow. That's priceless.

''My village. In a word? Sturdy, and it's been here for seven generations, but every single building is new. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunset. The only problems are the pests. You see, most places have mice or mosquitoes. We have... dragons.''

In the past 4-5 years, DreamWorks Animation have created films that have been just satisfactory, average or crap but How To Train Your Dragon is the film that needed to be made for them to achieve a breakthrough. To be honest, I was expecting it to be like other DreamWorks animated films like Kung Fu Panda, Over The Hedge, Bee Movie and even Monsters Vs. Aliens: a random piece of entertainment that lacks magic and mature humour. How To Train Your Dragon turned out to be a lovely film with the magic that Pixar would use, really good humour, intense and in a lot of ways grown up and a very personal story. The 3D experience of How To Train Your Dragon was like a roller coaster because there was lots of intense action almost all the way through the film. To be honest, I found How To Train Your Dragon as good in 3D as Avatar.


How To Train Your Dragon tells the story of a young Viking teenager called Hiccup who is intending to follow after his father by becoming a dragon slayer. After he catches his first dragon, he begins to realise that he has no desire to kill it so he befriends it like a pet. Hiccup is a main character DreamWorks Animation needed: a colourful, emotional hero with a big heart. His relationship with mysterious dragon Toothless reminded me a lot of Elliott and E.T. in the Steven Spielberg classic. Gerard Butler (pretty much the only well-known actor in the film) provides the voice of Stoick The Vast who is the father of Hiccup. Butler returns to a character who is like a heroic war leader like he was in 300. I noticed that some of the male Vikings had Scottish accents.


Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders have made a film that is suitable for all ages! I think they have created it for teenagers as well which is something that DreamWorks Animation haven't done for quite a while. I will be really really annoyed if How To Train Your Dragon isn't nominated for Best Animated Picture as well as Toy Story 3!


Overall, How To Train Your Dragon is a fantastic animated film! I have high expectations for DreamWorks animated films now (except the rest of the Shrek films). It is definitely DreamWorks Animations' best film since Wallace And Gromit In The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit and a breakthrough for that studio!