Review of How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) by Stefano C — 19 Oct 2015

The visual stuff is way better than the first movie, but there was no training of dragons, too many different plotlines intersecting, and--I mean, now that I'm typing this out, there are so many issues with it.

I mean, I loved it, of course, on a superficial "oh this makes me feel nice" level. But when I got in depth and think about the plot? The way they've treated their characters? This definitely doesn't hold up against the first movie.

Why was the bad guy also the only POC? Why didn't you make Astrid chief (come on she was way better suited)? Hiccup and Toothless were a team, they were eachothers foils, and Toothless is reduced to background noise, the occasional laugh.

Actually, all the dragons were. And what was this "non-violence is the only good way" thing they were pushing in the beginning? Because Hiccup responds violently in the end. Too many random morals being pushed around.

There's not a lot of character growth either, which is something I would expect 5 years in the future? Also, what is this Valka stuff? "I can't be a good mother and hold these beliefs so I must go"??? And she's coded as being a bad mother?? As visually striking as her sanctuary is, it looks like it's straight out of Avatar.

WHY ISNT ASTRID CHEIF? WHY? Anyway, it was beautiful but there were many issues.