HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
By: John ’Doc’ Strange
Directed by: Dean DeBlois
Cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Kit Harington, Cate Blanchett, Djimon Honsou, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller and Kristen Wiig
MPAA Rating: PG (for adventure action and some mild rude humor)
Selig Rating: FULL PRICE
Runtime: 102 Min.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 takes the story we came to love from the original and shows us where they have come in their acceptance of the dragons. In true Viking fashion, the people have taken to the dragons with a passion. Their daily chores now include the care and training of their dragons. Instead of fighting on the ground, they fight in the air. Their games include dragon races.
But there is a dark cloud on the horizon. A Viking villain, Drago, is out there capturing dragons for his dragon army. When he finds out about Berk and their dragons, he sends his fleet to destroy the town and add their dragons to his army.
Meanwhile, Hiccup and his dragon Toothless have encountered a mysterious dragon rider who leads them to a place where dragons live in peace, safe away from the depredations of men.
There are epic battles and beautiful vistas, brave warriors and insane villains, and always, there are the dragons. We learn that alpha dragons, the leaders of the dragons, must battle each other like lions to prove their right to be at the top of the dragon command pyramid. All dragons will follow whichever dragon proves it is the toughest.
Sequels are generally not as good as their originals. Tough statement, but lucky for us, it doesn’t pertain to this film. How To Train Your Dragon 2 is even better than the original. The story is deeper and more complex than the original but will still appeal to the younger crowd. I look forward to seeing what the writers decide to bring us when, not if, they write the next installment in the story of Hiccup and Toothless.
Movie Site: http://alexandemmamovie.warnerbros.com/
The Selig Rating Scale:
FULL PRICE – Excellent movie, well worth the price
MATINEE – Good movie
DOLLAR – OK movie
CABLE – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
FREEBIE – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn't paid for it.
COMMERCIAL TV – Commercials and cutting to the allotted time will not hurt this one.
FORGET IT! – Bad. If you see this one, do yourself a favor and keep it to yourself.
GET YOUR TORCHES – BAD! – Burn the script, the writer, the director and maybe even the actors!
