How to Train Your Dragon

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a film with a dragon in it (Been a while since I reviewed a film as well) and when I have seen one, it just so happens to be skulking deep in the recess of some dark dank cave which is brilliant if you were hoping to save a bit of money on CGI. However, DreamWorks seems to relish in the thought of displaying their beautifully designed dragon characters, although they may not be Pixar standard, but honestly I couldn’t care less. They’re clever enough make up for it with character and charm. But there is however a slow start which we must as the viewer push through if we are to enjoy what lies ahead, but if you can do that much at least, you shall see a film that cannot help but take off and have your heart soaring with.

Adapted from a book by Cressida Cowell, the film takes freedom in it's stride with its source material, but starts at the same place. Young Hiccup (Voiced by Jay Baruchel) wants nothing more than to be the best and manliest Viking, just like his father Stoick (Voiced by Gerard Butler). Hiccup's resolve is tested by his adolescent clumsiness and a sneaking suspicion that he may never be half the man that he imagines his father to be.

A chaotic opening segment sees dragons attacking a Viking fishing village, all shot in colours of earth, fire and night, but we soon settle into familiar territory: the geeky, clumsy hero Hiccup is a disappointment to his huge manly father Stoick Hiccup and resolves to find new ways to fight dragons. He invents a machine of his own with the ability to shoot down the fierce monsters that terrorise them so and sets off to find his trophy and have his father finally acknowledge his ‘’manliness’’. Instead, he finds a wounded beast (the word beast being used loosely here), which he names Toothless, and the two form a symbiotic relationship that becomes the heart and soul of the film.

 How to Train Your Dragon

The bond that slowly develops is beautifully established. Toothless combines a subtle unpredictability, but hints to a more intelligent creature under the puppy eyed ‘’beast’’ he is. Hiccup, meanwhile, slowly sidesteps his clichéd beginnings to find his place in the Viking world. Like the book, the movie is rich in detail from character names to Viking-faced towers and from what I could see it very rarely missed plot lines that some films must sacrifice for sufficient progression. It’s also overflowing with charm — like Toothless’ gummy grin. The CGI provided a colourful array of vibrant sequences of battles and dialogue. How to Train Your Dragon also contains the usual morality lesson “You should stay true to yourself,” which this film sidestepped somewhat, focusing more on the ever more engaging aerial battle scenes. It’s scarce in witty, adult-aimed humour and most adults will, dare I say, suffer through another fable from DreamWorks for their children’s entertainment. And the ending’s strange twist might leave parents with a lot of explaining to do. CGI are the film’s strengths if you are immune to its charm. And, of course, you’ll see a dragon or two for more than a split second unlike most.

Certainly, there’s a bigger, scarier plot to the dragons’ relentless raids that man and beast must work together to combat the threat in a spectacular large-scale finale, and real stakes in the fiery chaos. There are moments of brilliance there, both in the aerial dog fights and the events that bring are heroes together. While it might be a few more takes before DreamWorks really hits the nail on the head and even though they have already thrown such classics at us like Shrek and despite the lack of laughs compared to their previous films, this is probably the best DreamWorks yet.