How to Train your Dragon

Release date: March 26, 2010
Director: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Novel by: Cressida Cowell
Screenplay by: William Davies, Dean Deblois, Chris Sanders
Cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, David Tennant

After so many years of watching animated films, it feels like Dreamworks has found their winning formula of cheap thrills and decent box office numbers, and they’re sticking with it. Time and time again, they put out a piece with similar jokes, running gags, and uninspiring character design with little heart.

Their latest animated adventure, How to Train your Dragon, tells the story of Hiccup, a geeky very un-viking boy from a Viking village who wants to slay dragons, but can’t because he lacks all the physical attributes that a hunting Viking possesses. One day, Hiccup gets to meet an unusual dragon, whom he names Toothless, that will challenge all the knowledge that his people have of these creatures.

Dragon is a solid entertaining piece with thrilling uses of 3D, exciting action-packed sequences and some really nice textures. Its story isn’t bad either; however, it lacks certain qualities that make other animated films classics.

The main character, Hiccup (voiced by forever-geeky Jay Baruchel) is your typical good-hearted boyish hero. Though, at times, he gets on my nerves for all the unnecessary clumsiness [think Susan on Desperate Housewives], Hiccup has good intentions and never means to do anything bad. His dragon companion Toothless  is a very slick salamander-like dragon that, at times, acts like Stitch (obviously from the involvement of  Chris Sanders) from Lilo & Stitch.

The supporting characters are typically cartoonish or archetypal, from the father who never listens, to the main character’s love interest who seems to have an attitude problem when Hiccup begins outshining her, to the dim-witted “love” rival and the bickering twins. No, there is nothing particularly wrong with these characters. However, there is nothing particularly memorable about them either.

Entertaining? Sure. Nice 3D POV shots, and even cute Lilo&Stitch-esque dragons? Cool.

Will I ever watch it again and again and again? Maybe not.

That’s the things about Dreamworks animated films, and many of the latest animated films coming out… it seems, month after month – they don’t really hold up to repeat viewings.

Also, the Spanish dub seems funnier than the original English version. Case and point – Toothless becomes Chimuelo. You know you’ve got a problem with your script and/or voice actors when your dubbing has more spark.

Rating: ★★★¼☆ 

amy

YAM Magazine editor, photographer, blogger, translator and part-time web designer. Film junkie, music junkie… and lately series (a.k.a. TV) junkie.

5 Responses

  1. April 11, 2014

    […] looks, and even acts, a little bit like Stitch, but a list about dragons seems incomplete if How to Train your Dragon is […]

  2. June 20, 2014

    […] been five years since start the events of How To Train Your Dragon, and we start this film as we started the first one, with Hiccup (Baruchel) monologuing about life […]

  3. June 21, 2014

    […] pasado cinco años desde los acontecimientos de Cómo entrenar a tu Dragón, y empezamos esta película como comenzamos la primera, con Hiccup (Baruchel) monologando sobre la […]

  4. June 22, 2014

    […] first place over 22 Jump Street at the American box office. At least it has made more money than How To TrainYour Dragon on the openning weekend and it has had good […]

  5. June 24, 2014

    […] only seeing 15 films from this year. Visually and story-wise, it’s far superior than the first film and it should be a virtual lock for Best Animated Film at the Academy Awards next year. Another […]

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