How To Train Your Dragon (2010)

Film: How To Train Your Dragon (2010)

Director(s): Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

Starring: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera

I've managed to get some new films from my friend recently and How To Train Your Dragon was just one of them. A different friend of mine told me about it a while ago and said he really enjoyed it so I was excited to see what the fuss was all about. Most of the time I'm a bit hesitant when it comes to animated films and I don't know why this is because 90% of the time I end up loving them. Luckily, How To Train Your Dragon fell within that 90% and it ended up being a really enjoyable movie.

The film focuses on a young Viking named Hiccup (Baruchel), son of Stoick the Vast (Butler) who happens to be the leader of their Viking village, the Island of Berk. Hiccup wants to be a fierce dragon slayer just like his Dad but is instead the laughing stock of the village, perceived as small and weak, and not even close to fulfilling his dreams of fighting dragons. Lets just say he's not your stereotypical hack-and-slash Viking. However, during a dragon raid on their village Hiccup ventures out into the battlefield and manages to down one of the mysterious and deadly Night Fury dragons. When Hiccup finds the dragon trapped by the ropes that brought him crashing to earth, he cannot bring himself to slay the Night Fury and instead befriends the dragon, who he names Toothless. Thus begins a story of friendship and understanding between dragon and man, that changes Hiccup's world forever. I'll leave it there as far as the plot goes, you'll just have to watch it to see what happens to Hiccup and Toothless (it's good!).

What struck me first was the fantastic quality of the animation and I only regret not having seen How To Train Your Dragon in the cinema. I got to watch the Blu-Ray version and the animation was astounding, one of the best efforts I've seen in recent years. I loved the way the colours came out in Up, but How To Train Your Dragon nearly beats it, especially in the little details like the green in Toothless's eyes. The animation team did a terrific job as it really makes the film that little bit better. The voice-work was also incredible, especially from the leading men Baruchel and Butler. Nearly every member of the cast has such a distinctive voice that I didn't need to wait until the credits rolled to know who was who. "That's the guy from Knocked Up... and the guys from Superbad... and the chick from Ugly Betty!". Each actor and actress did a great job with their parts and it really helped make How To Train Your Dragon a better movie. I think the reason this film worked so well is because it succeeded in combining laugh-out-loud comedy with that feeling you had when you watched films as a kid; that mix of action and magic, when you feel like you want to be there, flying on the dragon's back as he soars through the sky.

To conclude, if you haven't seen How To Train Your Dragon yet, I thoroughly recommend it. It's a good film that you can watch with a variety of different people; it works as a date movie, a film to watch with younger viewers, or a group of friends, guys or girls. It hits all the spots no matter who your watching it with. Go and see it now, you won't regret it.

A More Enjoyable Reality Rating: 9/10

Luckily I managed to get some other movies off my mate and have some good ones lined up to watch in the near future. So you can expect reviews of Tron: Legacy, Due Date, The Other Guys, Monsters and many more, if I have the time and energy to write about them. Until then...

Thanks for reading.