Children’s movies are now more adult-friendly than every before, and How to Train Your Dragon continues this favorable trend. Aside from its modern CG animation, the film fits right in with the traditional Disney oeuvre that we all grew up on, avoiding childish humor and innuendo in favor of a charming folkloric plot.
In a village plagued by dragons, Hiccup, a blacksmith’s apprentice of gentle demeanor, would rather be fighting the beasts. Desperate to prove himself, he attempts to slay a particularly vicious breed. Yet, upon finding the wounded dragon, he is overcome with pity and decides to care for it. The two forge a friendship which fosters Hiccup’s education on the proper treatment of the species. He then puts this knowledge to use, becoming the village’s best dragon-fighter by means of the peaceful training he practices in secret.
How to Train your Dragon relies on thrilling action sequences to drive its plot, but they do not overshadow the film. Toothless, the titular dragon, is adorable in his behavioral resemblance to a domesticated pet, and most of the laughs in the film derive from this ironic interaction. And while conventional (see Avatar), the film’s themes of learning to understand our enemies instead of killing them are well-executed.
The film’s only faults are nit-picky. Why, for example, do the adults speak with Scottish accents, while their children speak with American accents? Also, Hiccup’s voice and mannerisms initially mark him as an animated counterpart to the geeky types monopolized in films by Michael Cera and Jesse Eisenberg. Thankfully, though, Hiccup’s clichéd awkwardness only lasts until he embraces his intelligence and uses it in lieu of his lacking brawn.
These flaws will likely pass unnoticed by most audiences. Both adults and children will laugh at the jokes and find themselves captivated by the spectacular animation, spotlighted during dazzling flying sequences that are worth the price of a 3-D ticket. The film’s spell is unbroken until the credits start to roll, when we start to reminisce about the classic animated masterpieces that the film harkens back to.
Directed by: Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders
Voices by: Jay Caruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson
Rated PG, 98 min.
