The first time I saw How To Train Your Dragon was pretty neat. I went by myself, and the theater was completely empty. So there I sat, in the very center of the theater with my 3D glasses on, watching the crappy previews and wondering what I was in for.Turns out, something pretty special. How To Train Your Dragon is about Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), a runt Viking of sorts. In his village, life revolves around dragons. Killing one means respect from his fellow Vikings, but, because of his small size, Hiccup is unable to slay heroically like his kinsmen. Hiccup is a pretty decent inventor, however, and he creates a machine that allows him to ensnare a dragon. A-ha! Will Hiccup kill the dragon he captures in cold blood, thus winning his father's praise? Probably not, since this is a kids movie.
The first thing I noticed about Dragon was its visuals. This movie is like looking into God's beautiful blue eyes. The characters are stylized so they don't fall into the creepy part of the uncanny valley (a smart move most animation studios are going for now), while still being incredibly detailed. It's very easy to connect with the characters when you can practically see what they're thinking. The animators also worked wonders on the main dragon, Toothless, a simultaneously ultra-cool and extremely cute little guy. The voice actors do great work lending humor and realism to the film. Watching the trailers, I was skeptical of Jay Baruchel's sardonic portrayal of the main character, but it works well in the context of the movie: Hiccup is very likable, and his understated sarcasm is a nice change of pace from most animated characters. The supporting characters are terrific as well, particularly Gerald Butler as Hiccup's father and Craig Ferguson as the maimed Viking Gobber. The plot doesn't try to hard to do the unexpected, but it doesn't need to. How to Train Your Dragon is simply a pleasure to watch.
24/30
