Dean DeBlois, the co-director of the first HTTYD and sole director of How To Train Your Dragon 2, worked at the Sullivan/Bluth animation studio during the early 90’s. I wasn’t surprised to learn that, as the sequel to the surprise 2010 hit has a similar vibe to a lot of Don Bluth’s better films- an equal balance of exhilarating highs and heart breaking lows for its heroes. Perhaps something rubbed off of him during his time there?
Even if that’s a stretch, this could be the film that gives Hiccup and his loyal black dragon Toothless the torch of representing DreamWorks, which was previously held by some fat green guy whose name I can’t recall right now. It’s easy to say that fans of the first film and/or the TV series will get the most out of it (especially the likely increased amount of fangirls over Hic’s new design), but it’s structured to where most moviegoers can get invested regardless.
Looking all the world like an underfed Batman, Hiccup (once again given his trademark nasal tone and self deprecation by Jay Baruchel) has now taken up gliding alongside Toothless, who is slightly annoyed by his little brother’s new daredevil attitude. This comes in handy as he and his fellow dragon riding girlfriend Astrid (America Ferrara) come across the plans of one Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou, who I think is trying to channel Kurgan from Highlander) to bring the land’s dragons under his dreadlocked command.
To the chagrin of Hiccup’s father and Berk high chief Stoick (Gerard Butler, in a very good performance), Hiccup tries to play the diplomat and hopefully reason with Drago, avoiding a war over his beloved dragons. He then meets up with Valka (Cate Blanchett), a mysterious dragon guardian with a previously unknown connection to him, who coincidentally agrees with Stoick that Bludvist is bad news. Hiccup has to then decide which path to take as the armies start to come together.
(disclaimer: there are no bears in this movie. You’d be thinking of Brave, aka the movie where Merida- y’know, the ginger girl that’s constantly paired with Hiccup in every crossover fanfic ever?- comes from.)
The other teenagers from the first film return (my favorite is still Snoutlout, he’s so punchable in that endearing Heath Slater sort of way), along with some cuddly baby dragons and Craig Ferguson’s Gobber, once again providing some necessary comedy relief- as well as one line that implies Berk is very progressive for a Viking village. They’re a welcome counter for the emotional gut shots HTTYD2 aims to land. The tone is constantly epic, dramatic and intense, completely shattering the stereotype of what most people likely imagine for the DreamWorks name. Consider that this is the same studio responsible for Shark Tale, and you might have to sit down for a moment.
And that’s not even getting into the mind blowing visuals, which are obviously still the series’ main selling point. Watching HTTYD2’s flying scenes, dogfights and races in 3D are like enjoying a day at Six Flags. (Only without the fear of whiplash from a real coaster, slightly less sticky floors and air conditioning.) Of course, they definitely wouldn’t mean as much without the likable characters and impactful story. There were a number of key moments where I sensed the plot could have gone into the usual clichéd misunderstandings you see in a lot of family features, but they manage to avoid those traps and thus wind up taking more risks than the first Dragon film.
Highly recommended, but just be ready for, as the kids say these days, “the feels”. Especially with that dance sequence.