Dragons have always had a fascination with storytellers and audiences as their presence always brings charm and intrigue. Pretty much every fantasy film and television series that includes dragons as part of the story has them. Unfortunately, there really hasn’t been a story about why a dragon does what it does. That is until 2010’s “How to Train Your Dragon”. Based off a series of books of the same name, the movie delves more into the psychology of what dragons are and what they do. Sure, some elements of the story are pretty clichéd, but for the most part, the movie is quite good. “How to Train Your Dragon” is a great lesson on how these mythical creatures can be understood.
The story takes place on the island of Berk with its inhabitants being vikings. The citizens are being attacked by dragons of various shapes and sizes. An eager young viking named Hiccup manages to capture on of the most deadliest of dragons: a Night Fury. Unfortunately, Hiccup cannot overcome his fears of the beast and cannot kill it. Through trial and error, Hiccup learns how to control the dragon as well as coming to the realization that dragons are not the feared creatures that everyone has been talking about.
“How to Train Your Dragon” is a magnificent animated film. The visuals and character designs are amazing; as well as the dragons themselves are uniquely designed to fit their certain characteristics and traits. The flying scenes that are presented for the audience are worth checking out, especially in 3D if one gets the opportunity. In terms of acting, the cast fits their respective roles very well, even if it is not up to the time period for which this movie is set in. The music is brilliant as it brings a traditional fantasy score with a little bit of Scottish influences thrown in. But what really sells the movie is the story.
The story takes an interesting spin on your traditional dragon fable. Sure, some parts of the story are pretty predictable, like the relationship between Hiccup and his father, but the rest of the story works pretty well to its advantage. Why dragons survive, how they work, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how they can be manageable are all answered here. Plus, we see the relationship between a human and a beast, that hasn’t been done before to this extent before. There are even some adult moments present too, especially considering the film is marketed towards children. The story is the main selling point.
Overall, “How to Train Your Dragon” may just be a contender for the best dragon movie out there. Here’s hoping that the sequel is even better.