Battling against dragons is the norm on the island of Berk, home of several Norse people. Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) is a teenager and heir to one day run the place. But his progressive views don’t jive too well with the others, especially his father and current clan chief, Stoick (voiced by Gerard Butler). He has to enter dragon-fighting school by force, the island’s right of passage to prove he’s a working Viking, however after he befriends Toothless, an injured dragon, he discovers that his people may have been wrong about dragons and he seeks to change things for the better.
I know, I know. I’m really late to the game on this one. I’m a fan of several animated features, especially of the Pixar variety, so I do slap my hand that I let this one pass me by for so long. However before I got the chance to see the sequel I knew had to see the original where it all began.
I get a kick out of their silly names, Hiccup and Toothless. Who would think of that?
Toothless the dragon is a really great character. I love how his mannerisms are like a perfect mix between a cat and a dog. His design allows him to look really cute most of the time, while he can occasionally appear ferocious too. If not for all the fire breathing, he’d be an animal lover’s ideal pet.
One of the reasons why I’m a big fan of these types of animated featured is that they have themes that appeal to adults and children alike and they teach helpful life lessons. I liked the subtle themes about making the best of your situation, especially when it came to Hiccup designing a prosthetic wing for Toothless in order to help his aerodynamics.
I thought the creators did a good job of building their camaraderie and trust between one another. The action scenes were fun and exciting. And par for the course with this films, it delivers on the laughs.
Overall I really enjoyed Hiccup’s unique coming of age story. The film does a respectable job of showing when the stakes are high as well. It strikes a balance between showing how endearing or dangerous the dragons can be, even Toothless himself.
This series has spawned countless merchandise and even a live spectacle that I have heard is quite amazing, so it’s not surprise that it gets a sequel. I’m glad that I waited to see this because there’s no wait for me to go right to the second one.