****
It's been five years since we last visited Berk, and the inhabitants are now living successfully and harmoniously with dragons. Our heroes Toothless and Hiccup are an inseparable team and spend their days perfecting their flying techniques and exploring new islands. On one such exploration, they come across a group of dragon trappers, working for the mysterious Drago who is said to be building a dragon army and threatens to ruin all that Hiccup has striven for.
I really liked 'How To Train Your Dragon'. Being an utter softie, I cried a couple of times and then went out and bought it on DVD so that I could enjoy the blossoming relationship between Hiccup and Toothless again and again. I was, then, wary of seeing the sequel - would it live up to one of the best children's films I'd seen? I shouldn't have worried. Unlike a couple of sequels I've seen recently, this film can really hold its own and, whilst it isn't quite as good as the first, it is still immensely enjoyable. Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) and Toothless are a very engaging and watchable pair, and the mannerisms given to Toothless make him one of the most endearing silent characters I've seen, aside from Gromit of course! Like the first, the film isn't afraid to tug on your heart strings, and there are a couple of moments that are pretty moving, but then a witty and genuinely humorous comment or joke is made, and it rattles along to the next scene. Unlike last time, we are straight into the action, with lots of dragons on display from the very beginning. The fantasy elements are done well, and there are lots of sections with the characters flying about on dragons, which will appeal to the imagination of any viewer. It is just a really good-hearted film, that feels as though it has been made with genuine affection as opposed to just churning something else out for the box office. I do have a couple of issues with the film, however. Firstly, there appear to be two endings, and I honestly expected for the film to end on a cliff-hanger leading into the sequel, but instead it carried on and rather rushed through the grand finale. The end twenty or so minutes could perhaps have been expanded into another film altogether, or at least extended a little bit longer. Secondly, some of the accents were just ludicrous - Kit Harrington, who voiced Eret, started off sounding like he was from the East End, but his accent then changed every time his character opened his mouth! Cate Blanchett appeared to suffer from a similar problem, as she started off sounding a little Russian, and then took a vocal tour of the known world. It also still bugs me that Hiccup does not have the Scottish accent that his father does.
It is a very beautiful film, and the graphics are outstanding. The attention to detail - every scale, every dragon's eye - is wonderfully realised and makes the experience even more immersive. This time, there are many more species of dragon on display, and the film boasts an excellent colour palette, with each species being unique in their design. The faces of the human characters seem more expressive somehow, with expressions changing from one thing to another in the blink of an eye. I should perhaps wake up and realise that animation has come on leaps and bounds over the years and that I shouldn't be surprised by such rapidly changing faces, but I was struck by it. I also really liked the score, which was a mixture of sweeping classical music, mixed with vocal pieces performed by Jonsi, amongst others.
There is definitely something here for everyone to enjoy, so I wouldn't be deterred by the PG rating. Unlike other films for children at the moment, it doesn't feel too preachy, or as though it's trying to teach its young audience a serious life lesson, which is a relief. Of course, there is a little of that but a joke is usually then thrown in to soften the effect. Overall, a solid and enjoyable film with a good heart and excellent visuals.
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