How to Train Your Dragon 2 Review

Man, oh man. Yet another spectacular movie has landed in 2014. This time, it's the sequel to the 2010 sleeper hit How to Train Your Dragon, a film that I have come to love, and it has become one of my favorite animated movies of all-time. Not only was it super fun and beautifully animated, but it also tackled some big themes and was emotionally involving to a surprisingly high level. How to Train Your Dragon 2 was one of my most anticipated movies of this year, and boy, was it worth the wait. This quite possibly surpassed its predecessor.

It picks up five years after the events of the first film, with Berk now a dragon-friendly place. Hiccup and Astrid are officially dating, and things just seem pretty perfect for the Vikings. That is, until Hiccup finds out about the evil Drago, who is building up a dragon army to take over the world.

The principle cast from the previous movie have returned, and their just as charming in this one. Jay Baruchel heads up the cast as Hiccup, and while some find his voice somewhat off-putting, I think it perfectly fits the character. Gerard Butler, Jonah Hill, America Ferrera, and Craig Ferguson reprise their roles as well, and do a fine job with them. Newcomers include Djimon Hounsou as the aforementioned villain Drago, and Cate Blanchett in a role that might surprise you if you were able to stay away from the trailers.

One thing that has carried over from the first film is the amazing animation style. There are moments of truly awe-inspiring visuals, and there were a few times where I actually forgot the movie was animated. Some of the landscapes and flying sequences were really that life-like. Also, the cinematography was outstanding. They did a fantastic job of making you feel like you were up in the sky flying a dragon. Great stuff.

Another exceptional aspect of How to Train Your Dragon 2 was the action sequences. There were some great ones in the first movie, but this one takes them to a whole new level of excitement. There were some downright thrilling scenes in this movie. This is refreshing to see in an animated movie that's generally directed towards children and families. Though, whether or not that really is the target audience is a debatable point, one which I will discuss....right now.

One thing the first movie surprised me with was its mature elements. It was a movie that adults could enjoy just as much as kids. This sequel is similar, though it is arguable that its even more directed towards adult audiences. It provides plenty of the funny and adorable moments and high-flying dragon fun that kids will enjoy, but the story is both more complex and darker than the original. Adults will appreciate this more than kids. However, it also adds that Lion King aspect of first seeing it as a kid and growing up with it and then watching it as a teenager or adult and picking up on the more mature and thematic elements of the movie. It's got layers.

As I mentioned, even if it has its mature parts, there is still plenty of joy and fun to be had in How to Train Your Dragon 2. Toothless is still irresistibly adorable, and his and Hiccup's relationship remains tender and heartfelt. The laughs come fast like in the first one, and this sequel is possibly even funnier. Kids will have a blast with this movie, and adults will too.

I mentioned the relationship between Hiccup and Toothless being just as sweet to watch as before. However, this movie adds some complexity to their relationship. They actually have a pretty serious fight. I won't spoil where the film goes with it, but I'll just say I was surprised, and also glad that the makers decided to go the difficult route. That's true for many aspects of the story, as a matter of fact.

I really only had one problem with this film. This may seem like I'm nitpicking, but this actually kind of bothered me. John Powell's wonderful main theme from the first movie doesn't really play all that much in this one. The rest of the music is great, but that particular "Flying Theme" as it's called doesn't turn up very much. I absolutely love that theme, so I was disappointed it wasn't utilized more.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 deserves to be mentioned with some of the greatest second installments we've seen. The Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Knight, The Two Towers, Aliens, and T-2 are all comparable to it. It takes the series to newfound emotional and thrilling heights, and it makes the How to Train Your Dragon franchise not only one of my favorite animated series ever, but also the new face of DreamWorks Animation, especially with the Shrek franchise now concluded.  These two Dragon films have taken the studio to places only previously gone by Pixar. It's not only one of the best films of 2014, but it's also one of the better animated movies we've seen in years.

Conclusion

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is darker and even more emotionally effective than its predecessor, but it's also a fun, action-packed adventure that boasts dazzling animation, plenty of laughs, and big-scale set pieces that add up to make a fantastic animated sequel. 

I can't believe I've given the last three films I've seen this year - including this one -  perfect scores, but they warrant them. This has been a magnificent year for movies, seriously one of the best in recent memory. 

Rating: 4/4