How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
Certified: U
Duration: 102 minutes
Directed by: Dean DeBlois
Voices of: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harington
KRS release
In the sequel, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is now a young man and is no longer the laughing stock of the village. Five years have passed since he had shown the Vikings of the island of Berk that dragons are friendly and intelligent animals.
His father Stoick (Gerard Butler) wants him to become the next chief of Berk. Astrid (America Ferrera), who had once been a competitor, is now his girlfriend. The rest of the gang is also there: Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig), Snoutlout (Jonah Hill) and Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse).
While out riding Toothless, a Night Fury dragon, he and Astrid clash with a band of dragon trappers. These are led by Eret (Kit Harrington), who works for Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou). When they inform Stoick, the alarm is raised since he and his aide Gobber (Craig Ferguson) know of Drago and his villainous ways. Stoick shuts down the village, however, Hiccup and Astrid go to meet Drago and talk with him.
On the way, Hiccup is abducted by Valka (Cate Blanchett), a dragon rider who happens to be his mother! She has lived with dragons, including the powerful Bewilderbeast, all the time. She knows that Drago is a force to be reckoned with. And with Drago just about to attack with his mighty forces, the Vikings of Berk and their dragons will have a lot on their hands.
The first How to Train Your Dragon, based on Cressida Crowell’s bestselling series of books, was quite a success with nearly $500 million in box-office takings. This second feature in a trilogy (everything has to be a trilogy these days) is a better rounded film, one that will generate the same kind of healthy box-office takings for DreamWorks. In the interim between the two pictures, the company also released the TV animated series Dragon Riders of Berk which kept the momentum going.
This sequel has simply dazzling animation which has layers of shades, depth and detail. Dean DeBlois makes sure that the camera utilises the 3D element to the full, as he swoops in with the menagerie of dragons and delivers the thrills, especially when the dragons take flight.
The film also places a sense of ‘epic’ into the proceedings. The Alpha dragons, the fleets and the battles are all played out on a large scale, making this movie an even bigger visual draw.
The script presented is darker in theme than the first film, but it makes for a well-rounded story with themes that children and adults will appreciate.
DeBlois, who had been a co-director on the first instalment, knows well how to keep the good elements of the first movie, build on them and deliver a worthwhile cinemagoing experience. The film also resonates by having well-rounded characters, which is not the norm for the genre. This is especially seen in the moments when Stoick and Valka reunite.
The dragons, on the other hand, act and look like they should, with not much human personification placed into them, thus being more ‘believable’.
The fact that the heart-warming and comedy elements present in the first film are kept intact in this bigger and more epic movie, is another accomplishment.