How To Train Your Dragon 2

How to Train Your Dragon was one of the biggest surprise hits of 2010 and was met with critical acclaim from both critics and audiences alike, become one of DreamWorks Animation’s most successful films outside of the Shrek franchise. How to Train Your Dragon 2 builds on that success and delivers more action, more emotion, and best of all, more dragons.

Now that the Viking village of Berk has learned to peacefully coexist with dragons they’re able to explore beyond their own borders and discover other lands and cultures. While Berk’s leader Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler) is content with holding down the fort at home, his son Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is the more curious type and does the majority of exploring. It’s while out and about with Toothless that he discovers a group of dragon hunters who are building an army for the villainous Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou). Opposing his father’s view that war is the only solution, Hiccup believes that he can peacefully convince Drago to lay down his arms. It’s a big world out there, though, and not everyone is as good natured as Hiccup thinks they can be.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 aims higher than its predecessor by expanding on the basics that made the first film so enjoyable to begin with. Toothless is as charming and adorable as ever. All the dragons feel like fully developed characters rather than just set pieces used for action sequences. There’s a heart to the film and a real bond you can see between humans and dragons.

It’s because of these fantastic characters and relationships that the film has such an emotional pull on audiences, perhaps one that may be a bit too strong for children. There are some heavy moments, and DreamWorks Animations doesn’t shy away from them. Just because it’s a PG animated film doesn’t mean it can’t properly pull at your heartstrings. Kids and adults alike, prepare to get a little misty-eyed.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is an excellent follow up to the film that showed audiences that dragons can be loveable too. It's smart, funny, and wonderfully charming. Baseically it features more of the same elements of the first film, which is not a bad thing, only on a much grander scale.