Review of How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) by Jesse O — 10 Dec 2014

I would honestly have to watch the first film again in order to see if my thoughts on it have changed in the 4 years since it came out, but I liked this movie much better than the original. I think, in many ways, because the first one was the first one, a lot of people are gonna inherently like it more than the sequel.

There's also this idea that sequels usually lack the first film's quality. And that's the case, more often than not. I think that, with the fact that the story isn't as fresh or the characters aren't new, though there are some very welcome additions, it's gonna be perceived as just revisiting old themes and characters.

As mentioned, however, I did like this film more than the first one. I thin what the first one did, that this one didn't do, or did so on a smaller scale, is establish the world these characters live in.

The lore surrounding them and what led to the separation between the humans and dragons and how there's a level of mistrust there that has to be overcome. I think the first film does a great job at establishing the world and its people, and dragons, that inhabit it.

And that's what it needed to do, you can't just go into a film, that you hope is the start of a franchise, expecting everyone to have read the book. The second film fleshes out the world some more, but, it's obvious, that it's not gonna be as vast as it was in the first film.

That just comes with the territory, the characters and the world are established. But, with that said, that's not to say that the film doesn't take its newer elements, or characters, and make the most of them that they can.

Hiccup's mother is a definite welcome addition as is Eret, even though if he's just there to give Ruffnut someone to lust after. This leads to the funniest moment in the film when Ruffnut first sees Eret, who's trying to trap the dragons with the nets.

Everything slows down as she notices how 'attractive' it is, his bulging biceps. She then stands up on her dragon spreads her arms open and says 'take me', all in slow motion. It certainly works better in execution than it reads on here.

It probably made me laugh far too much than I would've expected from myself. I think the film is certainly still very funny, but this movie isn't just about how entertaining it can be, though that's part of it.

The film still has some pretty damn topnotch storytelling that's emotionally resonant and satisfying. What I like about this movie, or franchise rather, is the fact that no character is safe from the consequences.

If a character needs to die, he/she dies, that's how it is. Or if they need to be crippled, like Hiccup in the first film, then they get crippled. There's no shying away from truly powerful scenes, or moments, just because the main demo for this film may be kids.

This is something that most other animated films stray from, even Pixar themselves. You could say they did it with Finding Nemo, with Nemo's mother, but that was a character that you weren't emotionally attached to.

They did do this with Up, to marvelous effect, in 10 minutes no less. But, again, that wasn't a character that lasted the entire movie, or carried over from a sequel. This film, ***SPOILER*** kills off one of its important characters in here.

You'll be able to tell the moment you start watching the film. In some way it feels like an excuse for Hiccup to truly want to go after the main villain of the film. But, at the same time, it's also an emotionally powerful scene that's very touching.

I was surprised because they didn't really exploit it as well as they could have, dramatically speaking. It could've been melodramatic but, thankfully, it wasn't. The writing is great and the story, as mentioned, is very good.

Much like the first film, it focuses on Toothless' relationship with Hiccup and how, as someone with a pet, you feel an attachment to them that you don't even have with some people. I love all of my friends very, very, very much, but in some ways my best friend, as a teen growing up, was my dog.

I think the series, in general, captures perfectly. That's why, in my opinion, I grew to care of them. Even the supporting characters, who may not have as much to do as the main players, but you care about them.

That's a credit to the writing, since it makes perfect use of all its characters and puts them in situations that resonate with the audience. The animation is great, the world isn't as colorful or as vibrant as something like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, but it stills feels fully-formed and developed.

There's just something about this world that feels like it existed before you watched the film and will continue to exist after you finish it. That's harder to accomplish than you would imagine.

The voice acting is very solid as well, no complaints there at all. I loved this movie, it builds and improves upon the first film in all the right ways, while adding some new elements so it doesn't come across like a rehash.

Great film here, can't complain at all.