Review of How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) by Paul B — 02 May 2015

Not only is How To Train Your Dragon 2 a rare example of a great animated sequel, but it is a rare example of a great sequel in any overall film category. In fact, I think this sequel actually surpasses its predecessor, which itself was also a superb animated film that cemented itself as being a bonafide classic of the 21st century. In fact, this is the sort of sequel other sequels should strive to be like: bolder, deeper, more emotional, more hard-hitting, funnier, and darker. It's a sequel that understands what made its predecessor so great, and then builds upon and improves those elements.

5 years after the events of the first film, things are going quite well in Berk with the villagers and dragons coexisting. Nowadays, Hiccup spends much of his time exploring the land with Toothless, trying to map out the surrounding areas, while also juggling his girlfriend, Astrid, and his father's demands that he eventually become the leader of Berk, which he is extremely apprehensive about and does everything in his power to avoid such conversations.

One day, while exploring the surrounding regions with Astrid, they come across an ice fort, which turns out to be inhabited by dragon trappers who were recently attacked and lost their catches, which were intended for a man named Drago. Hiccup and Astrid are blamed for the attack, and the trappers attempt to capture their dragons, but they manage to escape and fly back to Berk to tell of what happened.

It turns out that his father knows who Drago is, and Drago is not to be messed with, especially with murderous tendencies combined with an intense lust for power as he personally experienced when Drago murdered several chieftains during a gathering. Soon, Berk begins to prepare for war, but Hiccup is determined to stop it, by going to Drago personally to reason with him, against his father's wishes.

But during his trip, he and Toothless are captured, and brought to an icy lair by a woman named Valka who is also a dragon rider who has been hiding dragons away from Drago, and living among them for the last 20 years. It turns out she has a greater connection to Hiccup than the two of them realize.

Meanwhile, after Hiccup disappears, war is looming, his friends go in search of him, and everything is about to come to a head that will test the limits of all the characters in the face of great evil, as well as bring them together.

What makes the story so engaging is how epic in scope it is. It not only broadens the adventure, but it also deepens its characters, as any sequel should. It gives you a greater reason to care about what goes on what happens to the characters themselves because they feel so alive, while also providing a very intimidating villain who is certainly no wuss. It's a great amalgamation of elements and themes woven together to create an engaging, emotional, thrilling, and powerful film. It doesn't hold back, and when it hits, it hits hard.

The voice-acting is top notch, as it should be for such a production, though particular praise goes to Jay Baruchel as Hiccup, Gerard Butler as Stoick, America Ferrera as Astrid, Djimon Hounsou as Drago, and Cate Blanchett as Valka, who probably deliver the best performances of the bunch, not that the rest of the cast members are slackers, however. Frankly, it's hard to nail down a best performance when the whole cast shines But out of the many talented actors involved, these were the best and most engaging.

For entertainment, this film provides a gamut of possibilities: there's thrilling, epic action, heartfelt emotion, hilarious humor, colorful characters, and a superb storyline that will satisfy moviegoers who demand more depth from their animated films. This is animated entertainment that makes a strong case for the legitimacy of animated films and how they can appeal to everyone, instead of just being light-hearted affairs for children. They are a powerhouse in themselves, and can do things few live-action films ever can. For fans of animated films - children and adults alike, this is a must-see.

How To Train Your Dragon 2 is one of the best animated films I've ever seen, as well as being among the greatest films I've ever seen. Like its predecessor, it's a modern classic not only of animation, but for any film category, period. For any film studio that seeks to make a sequel, this should be used as one of their templates, it's that damn good. I'd recommend it to anyone who claims to love a good film because it provides a wide variety of entertainment possibilities that are hard to resist. If you love fantasy, animated films, action, comedy, and drama, this is truly a must-see.