How to Train Your Dragon

With a somewhat unwieldy tile and the lack of the winning Pixar storyline that has dominated the Oscars for a decade, Dreamworks animations latest could have been a clunker. Not only is How to Train Your Dragon the best film of the year so far, but it even eclipses the quality of last years duel academy award winner Up.

The latest 3-D film to fly into theatres in so many weeks is also the best of its format (story wise), making Burton's overblown misfire Alice in Wonderland look even more pitiful. Dragon will no doubt enamour kids (excuse the cliché) of all ages while keeping parents not only awake but equally enthralled. This movie is sure to tug the hearts of anyone who has ever loved a pet and will undoubtedly draw tears from those who are so inclined.

The texture that can be created from today's CG technology never ceases to amaze. Consider a beautiful tracking shot of a downed dragon where the twisted wing that protrudes towards the screen is actually out of focus, as if you yourself were staring awestruck at the giant lizard that lay before you in real, tangible life. I did not have the pleasure to viewing How to Train Your Dragon in 3-D but I have heard great things and even without having paid a surcharge the film does in no way suffer as a result. The narrative, visuals, writing and voicework is ample reason to seek out Dragon and frankly is the real heart of the movie anyways.

On the Island of Berk, the Viking community that lives there does not fear a rival tribe, the weather or disease but rather a much more toothy threat: dragons. Nightly raids by the winged beasts have forged a great hatred upon the tribe and led by the aptly named Stoik the Vast (Gerard Butler) they wage war with the intent to rid themselves of dragons once and for all. This is not a feeling shared by Stoik's scrawny son Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) who favours non-lethal tactics as much as he does blacksmithing. Much to Hiccup's surprise, during one of the aforementioned raids he is able to down a dragon with one of his contraptions. Intent on proving his manhood to Stoik, he seeks out to find the dragon know as a Night Fury but finds himself unable to slay his scaly foe. So begins an unlikely and forbidden friendship with the later named Toothless that follows a time-tested but absolutely rewarding arc that is as enthralling as it is touching.

Joining Butler and Baruchel, both of whom give excellent performances (with Butler recapturing some of his 300 mojo), are the likes of Craig Fergusson as the Viking blacksmith, America Ferrera as the feisty object of Hiccup's affections and a whole slice of the Apatow gang including Kristen Wiig, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Jonah Hill as other young warriors. Much like WALL-E, Toothless exhibits oodles of personality and is endlessly endearing. To achieve this level of depth is perhaps even more impressive due to the fact that he never utters a word and must emote through non-verbal means.

Along with Kung Fu Panda this movie represents the highest ilk of the Dreamworks repertoire and that is not a backhanded compliment by any means. Like Panda, there are thrilling and well choreographed action sequences to compliment the heart, and plenty of humour to keep this from becoming too much of a dramatic slog for younger theatre goers. Teenager or adult, fan or animation or not if you like truly good cinema, you will not be unsatisfied by How to Train Your Dragon.

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HTTYD is the latest in a run of animated 3D films to hit the family market. One might be forgiven for feeling a little weary of this genre as the big production studios churn out one "action-packed film with a cute central character and some pretty effects" after another. But wait...

HTTYD stands apart from these other attempts for a number of reasons. First, the 3D (Odeon digital in this screening) is moving more toward the subtle with fewer "gratuitous" 3D moments than in movies like Bolt and Coraline. As 3D becomes a staple of high street cinema, directors seem to be finding 3D to be more about adding depth rather than a brief focal-point. That's not to say that there isn't effective use of the 3D wow-factor here; it's just not all the film has to hold attention.

Second, a cast of voice talent that does not demand too much consideration of the man/woman behind the microphone is refreshing. Baruchel is not over-playing the sugar or the heroics and, as much as an animated character can be, he is believable and as three-dimensional as the visuals. Butler is not greatly stretched here but manages to stay just the right side of a Mike Myers impression so as not to annoy. How many kids will now think the Vikings were a fearsome race of Americans and Scots? Oh, well!

Third, the plot and dialogue. You may not know the plot and I won't spoil it now. It is straightforward stuff but the pace keeps it interesting for kids and the grown-ups. Younger children may be upset at times and I heard a sob or two at the emotional moments. Nothing too heavy here though, it's just a well-written script with as many actual laughs as I have seen in a kids' film.

This is one of the best films so far in this prolific genre and it has been made with passion rather than thrown together to cash-in on the thirst for these films, right now. I would urge all ages to see this film in 3D as the textures are extraordinary and you can't help but be charmed by it all.

If this is done following the same old beat up formula that Hollywood sticks to with regards to animation, then the dragons will be yakking non-stop. Thank goodness that this film, directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, avoids this like the plague, and

Jay Baruchel voices Hiccup, a viking kid who happens to be more brains than brawn, more scrawny than buffed, and this of course sets him apart from the rest of his warrior clan folks, who are battle scarred from the constant defense of the village pests - dragons who come from afar to plunder their livestock and setting their houses on fire, so much so that every house on the block is relatively brand new. Wanting to help out in any way he can, he's deemed more of a liability than an asset, especially when even his dad Stoick (Gerard Butler) cannot appreciate his unique, technical talent.

In a stroke of uncanny luck, Hiccup downs a flying dragon in the heat of battle, and his compassion meant to set the dragon free, rather than trying to prove himself to be a worthy viking man by killing it. And it's a rare specimen of a dragon too, which would have brought him instant glory. So a bond between man and mythical beast gets struck, and christened as Toothless, this is one pest who slowly grows into a pet, with Hiccup's secret rendezvous resulting in growing appreciation for the species, despite what the knowledge that his kinsman had compiled into a Dragon compendium which details facts all ending with an advisory on compulsory annihilation.

The story here is the strength of the film, being witty, smart but never condescending nor insulting the intelligence of the audience. While most characters are caricatures, especially Hiccup's peers, a lot of effort have been put into creating the leads as multi-dimensional and full of heart, and I enjoyed how the characters are so open to their emotions, that it becomes a lot more real than the photo realistic 3D animation and effects. Sure there's the usual father-son misunderstanding and expectations, and how a zero turns to hero, or even the theme of fearing something that we don't fully comprehend, but it's the manner in which the usual got delivered, that made all the difference. Especially so for its anti-war stance, that all it takes is a little step back from the common battle-cry, and instead seek to be understood, by holding out an olive branch, and to understand first.

For those who enjoy the mythology of the dragon creature, there are a number of ideas thrown up in the film that would make you nod in appreciation how these got conjured up for the film, and they worked wonders, even though they may be a tad predictable plot wise. And I'm betting that a lot of folks out there will take to Toothless, thanks to its "stitch"-ish design similar to Lilo and Stitch (since it's co-director Chris Sander's previous work) and huge saucer like eyes, plus a lovable demeanour built into the character that's always apprehensive, and mischievous. Being the creature that has no track record also helped, since it ropes you into a journey of friendship, bonding and discovery with Hiccup as to how powerful his new found friend can be, not to mention how symbiotic their relationship will evolve into as well.

Action junkies will find the action sequences in the film faultless, and the 3D got specifically crafted for certain set action pieces that really had me ducking for cover, for once. Fights are incredible, and always accompanied either by humour that worked without the feeling that it was deliberate nor just tried too hard, coupled with the comedic voice talents such as Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

How to Train Your Dragon is similar to last year's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - Long titles, great story, beautiful animation and a total delight. Highly recommended, and it goes into my list as contenders for best films of this year!

I saw the trailer and I enjoyed it but I was afraid that all the good parts from the movie will be there and that will be all, like it was with many films lately. That was certainly not the case. There are way better parts that were left to be discovered and I definitely congratulate the choice.

I didn't read the book, so I don't know the story, witch might have suffered, as stories usually do from books to picture, but I think a writer couldn't hope for a better image, better portraits of characters, especially the black dragon who one definitely falls in love with - the mimic and the gestures and the face expressions, so complex and real.

I agree it's not the kind of movie that makes you keep thinking too much once it's finished bot it's not meant to be. It's just lovely, from the beginning to the end, I really laughed and I was anxious for the characters when they suffered (and I'm 22). The film wasn't too long, it didn't have stupid lines whatsoever and it put to silence the annoying child behind me from the first five minutes or so, which I believe says it all.

I don't know if I will actually go to the cinema but I definitely want to see it again.

Great special effects and, again, a very lovely dragon.

There are a lot of excellent reviews out there, I will just discuss a single point. What got to me the most in this movie is the message I got out of it, I got it from a single line uttered by the hero and it just burned in my memory, it's about how when we look deep in the eyes of our enemies -the ones we fear the most- we will see that they are afraid of us just as we are afraid of them, we might realize their humanity and that they are not what we thought, monsters.

This is definitely one of the best 2 animation movies this year, with Toy Story 3 being the other one, tough job for the academy awards this year, and hope this is the case every year.

It's nice to see beautiful animation movies challenging Pixar's, it definitely benefits the viewer the most. How to train your dragon - Highly Recommended.