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| The Dragons ride once more! |
How to Train Your Dragon 2 manages to not only live up to the lofty expectations everyone has surrounding it, but (in more ways than one) actually surpasses many of them with flying colors. Fans of the franchise all around the world are rejoicing over this picture, and with rightful cause. This is quite frankly one of the best movies of the year so far, and one of the best sequels to come along in quite some time in my eyes.
Honestly, it doesn't even feel like four years have gone by since the first film. I can still easily recall my feelings quite vividly from that debut tale, and I still think that How to Train Your Dragon is one of Dreamworks Studios most impressive pieces to date. No movie has been more deserving of a sequel from Dreamworks (save for Kung-Fu Panda) and even though it has taken the studio a good deal of time to get this highly anticipated sequel to us, it totally feels worth the wait.
While I don't think that this is absolute perfection given form on the silver screen, I will say that this flick gets pretty damn close to it. Even after an almost entire two weeks of pondering and mulling over this movie, I can only think of literally two actual problems I have with How to Train Your Dragon 2, but we'll get to those in a little bit.
It has been five years years since the viking island village of Berk has made peace with the local dragon flock, and life has never been better. Dragons are now a fully integrated part of the island's every day life as both working animals and loyal companions. Even sports such as dragon racing are now a major pastime among the population. Unbeknownst to Berk however, a madman called Drago Bludvist has been amassing an enormous dragon army, and he is setting his sights on the small island homeland. Can the young inventive viking Hiccup (son of chieftain Stoic the Vast) and his Night Fury dragon Toothless save Berk from the terrible war that lurks on the horizon?
On the surface the How to Train Your Dragon franchise may not seem like much. Ask anyone who is a fan though and they'll certainly tell you different. This is a story that goes far deeper than just the cartoony and kid friendly exterior. Heavy topics most family films shy away from take center stage in the series that still (through some clever storytelling methods) feel easy to understand to even the most young mind. Issues such as racism, cultural loyalty/legacy, and even physical handicaps are but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the material at large. The narrative without a doubt takes its audience seriously and doesn't dumb down the plot, conflict, or characters at any point. If anything else it seems like the writers are creating a very dramatic and weighty story that feels like it has real consequences.
Dean DeBlois returns as director for this latest en devour and I have to say he pretty much knocks it out of the park. This sequel brings everything up a notch. The scope of the world feels more grand, the action is more intense, and the stakes within the narrative feel much higher. The characters have more agency now than they ever have before and I couldn't be happier for it. For those who thought that the first movie brought the heat, you haven't seen anything yet. What The Empire Strikes Back is to Star Wars is how How to Train Your Dragon 2 feels to its respective series. At no point does it feel like there is a wasted moment. Every scene builds upon the last one, pulling the audience further into the world and deeper into the conflict. By the time the end credits roll this bad boy is clearly demanding a followup.
All of the original voice cast returns, and along with the newcomers to the story, bring their absolute A-game to the table. The decision to age the characters by five years obviously allows the actors to come at their roles with a little bit more of an adult mind. Although there is still a good deal of comedy to be had from everyone's performances to some extent, there is an underlying maturity to most of the proceedings. For example, Jay Baruchel does a splendid job at conveying Hiccup as a more confident and outright badass young adult this time around. Yet at no point does he not come off as the same nasally voiced sarcastic kid from the previous flick. This is more like the logical progression of that same character. The standout portrayal though goes to none other than Gerard Butler's Stoic and Cate Blanchett's Valka. These two have such an amazing chemistry that it makes me want to see them in their own prequel story.
To be completely honest, I'm a sucker for dragons, let alone sequences that involve the notion of riding them. How to Train Your Dragon 2 does not disappoint when it comes to its stellar dragon riding. In fact they deliver in more than spades if there is such a thing. Every scene where a dragon takes to the sky is truly a sight to behold, and seldom is it that a movie manages to invoke the sensation of flying so vividly. If you couldn't tell from the promotional material, visually this movie is immaculate. While the overall look still falls into the cartoonish realm, that underlying feeling of maturity is still reflective. Textures on character models and backgrounds alike have such an incredible attention to detail that you'll notice tiny things like the stubble forming on Hiccup's chin, or the scales wriggling on Toothless' back as he flies through the air. The folks at Dreamworks have clearly gone out of their way to make one of the most beautiful CGI cartoons to date.
John Powell returns as the music composer and (much like the rest of this film) just kills it. One of the most memorable parts to the first installment was its audible feast of a Celtic themed score. A lot of the old compositions from that film are here, albeit with substantially more power to them. The up-scaling to a one hundred twenty piece orchestra and a one hundred voice choir now brings How to Train Your Dragon 2 into the realm of truly epic sound from the moment the movie starts to the time the credits finish. Its distinctive Celtic flavor blissfully permeates every moment to a practically flawless degree. This is easily one of the best film scores of the year.
Sadly there are at least two flaws with How to Train Your Dragon 2. One, there is a bit of a continuity flub at the film's climax. It really isn't noticeable unless you think about it, but once it's brought to your attention you can't un-see it, and you'll wonder how it managed to evade the creators. Two, the villain isn't quite as great as he could be. While neither of these issues are deal breakers, it is a tad disappointing to see such a great work lack a great antagonist. Drago Bludvist could work, but just doesn't get enough screen time throughout the story. When he finally does get some time to shine he unfortunately comes off as little more than a screaming barbarian with a big stick. The potential for him to be a dark reflection of what Hiccup could one day become is shown to be there, but tragically goes unexplored.
Overall you can't really go wrong with How to Train Your Dragon 2. It is a solid movie through and through, and even with the two flaws I just mentioned, it doesn't take away from the fact that this is a movie that takes its audience very seriously. I highly recommend seeing this gorgeous piece on the biggest screen possible. This is a family film I can see many people heralding as one of the all-time greats for years to come. In my honest opinion, all the praise that this picture has been getting is completely earned, and I can't wait to see how Dreamworks intends to follow through on this. Another installment is already confirmed, and much like all good things, it will be here in time.
All of the original voice cast returns, and along with the newcomers to the story, bring their absolute A-game to the table. The decision to age the characters by five years obviously allows the actors to come at their roles with a little bit more of an adult mind. Although there is still a good deal of comedy to be had from everyone's performances to some extent, there is an underlying maturity to most of the proceedings. For example, Jay Baruchel does a splendid job at conveying Hiccup as a more confident and outright badass young adult this time around. Yet at no point does he not come off as the same nasally voiced sarcastic kid from the previous flick. This is more like the logical progression of that same character. The standout portrayal though goes to none other than Gerard Butler's Stoic and Cate Blanchett's Valka. These two have such an amazing chemistry that it makes me want to see them in their own prequel story.
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| I think Hiccup said it best in the trailer: "This is amazing!" |
John Powell returns as the music composer and (much like the rest of this film) just kills it. One of the most memorable parts to the first installment was its audible feast of a Celtic themed score. A lot of the old compositions from that film are here, albeit with substantially more power to them. The up-scaling to a one hundred twenty piece orchestra and a one hundred voice choir now brings How to Train Your Dragon 2 into the realm of truly epic sound from the moment the movie starts to the time the credits finish. Its distinctive Celtic flavor blissfully permeates every moment to a practically flawless degree. This is easily one of the best film scores of the year.
Sadly there are at least two flaws with How to Train Your Dragon 2. One, there is a bit of a continuity flub at the film's climax. It really isn't noticeable unless you think about it, but once it's brought to your attention you can't un-see it, and you'll wonder how it managed to evade the creators. Two, the villain isn't quite as great as he could be. While neither of these issues are deal breakers, it is a tad disappointing to see such a great work lack a great antagonist. Drago Bludvist could work, but just doesn't get enough screen time throughout the story. When he finally does get some time to shine he unfortunately comes off as little more than a screaming barbarian with a big stick. The potential for him to be a dark reflection of what Hiccup could one day become is shown to be there, but tragically goes unexplored.
Overall you can't really go wrong with How to Train Your Dragon 2. It is a solid movie through and through, and even with the two flaws I just mentioned, it doesn't take away from the fact that this is a movie that takes its audience very seriously. I highly recommend seeing this gorgeous piece on the biggest screen possible. This is a family film I can see many people heralding as one of the all-time greats for years to come. In my honest opinion, all the praise that this picture has been getting is completely earned, and I can't wait to see how Dreamworks intends to follow through on this. Another installment is already confirmed, and much like all good things, it will be here in time.
Positive Factors
- More than worthy successor to the amazing first film.
- Stellar direction brings the world, story, and characters up a notch. This narrative has real consequences.
- Voice cast brings their A-game. Everyone just feels right, with Gerard Butler and Cate Blanchett stealing the show.
- Immaculate Visuals. Easily one of the best looking CGI films to date.
- Killer score. John Powell returns to bring the Celtic thunder.
Negative Factors
- Continuity flub during the climax.
- Drago Bludvist is a bit on the weak side as far as antagonists go.
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