Review of How to Train Your Dragon (2010) by Alwayswatching — 31 Aug 2014

“How to train your dragon” is the story of a furious dragon, Toothless, and a genius dragon fighter, Hiccup. Dragons constantly raid Hiccup's town, steal the live stock, and set the houses on fire. Hiccup's father is leader of the town, a legendary dragon fighter, and Hiccups role model. Hiccup craves to be like his father but he lacks the essential skills to fight dragons. He is clumsy, cowardly, and weak. Still he relentlessly practices to become a dragon fighter even though nobody takes him seriously.

“How to train your dragon” is the story of a young boy searching for his identity; searching for who he wants to be and how to become it. It is a story of perseverance. It shows when traditions and conventions are hindering you, they should be changed or abandoned. When Hiccup fails to become a dragon fighter by following the traditional and conventional methods, he questions their authenticity, meticulously examines them, refines them, or even completely rejects them and devises new unorthodox ways. The myths fascinate him in the fantasy world but do not blind him in the real world.

“How to train your dragon” is full of sublime messages and themes but it is not a heavy handed movie for the elite. Quite conversely, it is an extraordinarily fun movie to watch, a movie that even toddlers can enjoy. The graphic design is phenomenal, soundtracks are captivating, dialogues are fluid and seamless, and it has a remarkable story to tell. This is indeed one of the best achievements in the history of animations.