Review: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

From the studio that brought you SHREK and KUNG FU PANDA comes the exhilarating HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. Based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the film is set in the village of Berk and follows the adventures of Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), a peace-loving kid, who happens to be the son of the boisterous chief Viking and dragon-slayer Stoick (Gerard Butler). Not too wild on the idea of hurting anything, Hiccup tries everything to please his dad, even helping with the dragon attack on their village, until he takes down the dreaded Night Fury. After helping the injured dragon, he’s surprised when the two become friends.

Hiccup realizes he just doesn’t have it in him to kill these beasties and becomes aware that he can talk to his adopted dragon, Toothless. From there on, it becomes A BOY AND HIS DRAGON. However, back in Berk, Stoick wants his son to become a dragonslayer and sends him to dragon school. Along with the local kids of the village, they’re all to be trained by Gobbler (Craig Ferguson), a gruff, seasoned warrior who’s job it is to show the recruits how to go head-to-head with a Gronckle, the twin-headed Hideous Zippleback, and the Terrible Terror. Its there that Hiccup meets and falls for his rival, a tomboy, Astrid (America Ferrera). While at the training ground, the kids learn that the dragons aren’t really their enemies, merely misunderstood fire-breathers. The more Hiccup is around his pet dragon, he and his fellow Vikings begin to see the world from Toothless’ point of view where they find an unexpected friend and ally against a more monstrous foe.

One of more entertaining bits is the filmmakers decision to have all the adult Vikings, presumably still Scandinavian, speak with a Scottish brogues, while making sure the kids talk like they’re from the San Fernando Valley. But it works – totally! HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON  is truly a heart-warming tale best seen in 3-D. While I’ve pooh-pooh’d the studios, and some filmmakers, for moving away from 2-D animation, watching Hiccup and his Night Fury soaring out of the screen is nothing short of magical thanks to directors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders. It gives depth to the flight as you sail high up above the clouds on the back of Toothless and you surely won’t ever forget the thrilling journey. Blazing with bagpipes and horns, John Powell’s emotional score is akin to DRAGONHEART and BRAVEHEART. It’s what gives Toothless, and the film, its glorious, lofty wings.

From Dreamworks Animation and Paramount Pictures, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON is playing everywhere nationwide. Prepare yourself for one amazing 3-D ride.

4 out of 4 Stars

PG for sequences of intense action and a few scary images, and brief mild language. 98 minutes.