Movie Review: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
nicolasb5194 Sorry for the very late review. I was way busy, so I didn’t get to see the film on the day it came out. That day was my fathers wedding. I’m a big fan of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. The first two films are some of the best animated films ever made. So of course, I was anticipating this film. So is it as good as the first two? I’m pretty sure you know the answer.This takes place a year after the second film as it continues to follow Hiccup, Toothless, and the tribe of Berk to set off to find The Hidden World, a mythical place told to Hiccup in his father’s stories that is said to be the origins of all dragons. Along the way, they are pursued by a new threat hoping to take all of their dragons, as well as a female dragon dubbed a “Light Fury, whom Toothless develops a romantic connection with. This film brings us to the ultimate finale. Where the stakes are even higher for both the people of Berk and their Dragon allies.
One of the best parts of the film was the nostalgia and links that it made to the first one. They did this by using lines and actions that were used in the first one including the famous: “What are you gonna do about it?” that we got in the film. Also this film had parallels with the four most important characters which are Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless, and the Light Fury. Hiccup and Toothless share a similar personality as well as Astrid and the Light Fury who symbolize the strong and stubborn people who find it hard to adapt to vitality different concepts like the one where people and dragons live together in harmony. Astrid and the Light Fury are the ones who are able to keep people together. Also, they used actions like Hiccup falling like he did at the end of the first film and then the Light Fury saving him in the exact same way that Hiccup and Toothless saved Astrid from the Red Death in the first movie. Throughout the franchise, the films’ themes were always friendships, courage, and teamwork as well as having useful messages for young children. This film also does this. I believe they depicted how hard saying goodbye is to someone you love. It’s hard, you feel like you’re losing a huge part of yourself and everything gets just that bit more difficult without them being at your side. It’s a cruel choice, but in the end, you decide it’s the best for both of you. I also cried when Toothless and Hiccup part ways.
The film, as usual, had phenomenal animation that were vibrant and colorful and showed off the Viking world wonderfully. The soundtrack was amazing as always and we also were able to hear the classic themes of the first two films. The voice acting and dialogue is well done and written in with the story that flows and continues to get better from each act at a time. The drama and situations are well written in well and bring in much needed character developments to the leads such as Hiccup and Toothless and to newer characters. And how they end the story is brilliant and a very definitive way to close the trilogy on a high note by having the dragons returning from whence they came in order to both Berk and Dragons to be safe from future danger. This film had great emotional complexity with Hiccup struggling to be a leader and believing in himself while also thinking about how they can keep themselves and the dragons safe.
The characters are still unforgettable and continue to grow better such as Hiccup as he finally goes from Village nobody, to Dragon trainer, to Warrio and finally as the Chief That his father wishes him to be in perfect transition. And his chemistry with Toothless is much more personified and his aiding of him to get close to the female night fury is ingenious. Astrid shows much more stronger development from her many other appearances and continues to be the biggest female Viking badass in battle while showing many powerful, romantic moments with Hiccup and his daughter in law relationship towards Hiccup’s mother throughout. The villian may not have much of a soul shattering human motivation like Drago did as to why he wants to kill the dragons. Grimmel is actually as much more intelligent and far more dangerous and resourceful antagonist than the latter. And with the acting F. Marry Abraham, you have a very sinister foe you wouldn’t want to cross. The comedy was also on point. My favorite part in the film was where Toothless tries to impress the Light Fury. The pacing was also perfect as there wasn’t a scene where it got slow, or got dragged on.
Overall, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is the best movie of 2019 so far. This film is a fantastic, visually stunning and poignant way to end this beloved trilogy. In my opinion, this has surpassed Toy Story as the best animated trilogy. The second one, for me, is still better. But this is still amazing. Thanks, DreamWorks for giving us an amazing trilogy for the past 9 years.
Score: 10/10