At the Theater - "How To Train Your Dragon 2" - (2014) - "Hiccup" the Viking and "Toothless" the Night Fury Dragon return in this outstanding sequel to Dreamworks Animation's 2010 film- it's a gorgeous and exciting high-flying achievement that somehow surpasses its most excellent predecessor. This is great fun for the entire family, full of soaring spectacle, scenic environments, well-placed bits of humor and a host of finer, humanistic touches. I firmly believe that it belongs comfortably amongst the greatest animated films ever made.
This particular entry in the franchise finds Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) and Toothless stumbling upon a massive dragon refuge maintained by a mysterious dragon rider. A scarred warlord intent on corralling the world's remaining dragons to be used as tools to vanquish his enemies further complicates matters.
Expect a healthy dose of genuine laughs mixed in with a few heart-tugging moments- I could hear the sniffles throughout the theater, from young and old alike, on two different occasions. HTTYD2 is a commendably written affair- a few revelations and one tragedy make for a substantial animated foray.
Whenever legendary Cinematographer Roger Deakins is brought on board as a consultant for an animated film, take notice- the digitally rendered landscapes are THE most amazingly vibrant creations ever displayed in an animated feature. This film is just plain awesome to behold on a large screen.
The only negative I could come up with is that a climactic showdown feels somewhat similar in nature to the original's denouement- that's nit-picking, though, as there's a wealth of finer details that set it apart. A battle between two massive, tusked "Bewilderbeasts" matches any other tentpole effect put onscreen in 2014 (thus far).
Cate Blanchett (The Gift) lends her talents to the already impressive vocal cast as a new character whose nature I won't bother to spoil, while Djimon Hounsou (Gladiator) makes his first franchise appearance as the villainous "Drago Bludvist".
If you haven't yet, check this out in a quality theater and in 3D- the extra dimensional presentation is very much worthwhile. This is one film I'm definitely buying a 3D Blu Ray copy of on it's first day of release.
Highly Recommended, it's a Midnight Max Essential
9.5 out of 10
Director: Dean Deblois
Vocal Talent: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, Cate Blanchett, Djimon Hounsou and Kit Harington
Run-Time: 102 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG for adventure action and some mild rude humor
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