How to Train Your Dragon

[Mr March]

Thanks to this Friday's release of "Kick-Ass", the late night showings of How to Train Your Dragon were the perfect forum to check out this 3D animated film with a group of friends. I have to admit that during pre-release this film was nowhere on my radar and the marketing didn't do a damn thing to entice my interest. However, after repeated ecstatic mentions for the movie at many of my regular online film geek haunts, I relented and found myself incredibly surprised by this amazing animated film. Humor, heart and havoc ensue all through the well-paced run time of How to Train Your Dragon. It has a solid story, amazing visual sequences and real humor without a single lame pop culture reference within earshot. If you have, like myself, been indifferent to the concept and advertising for this film, you owe it to yourself to check it out and be surprised by this highly entertaining movie. Watching it in 3D is a must. I took two other friends with me and we all loved it. It's a 4.5 out of 5 for me.

[David Hingtgen]

I was going to start a thread yesterday after I realized there's been zilch about it here--you beat me to it. REALLY good movie. Dreamworks's best I think. It hasn't gotten NEAR the hype/advertising it deserves. It and Iron Man 2 will probably be the big movies of the year that should be seen IMHO.

PS---you forgot to mention the soundtrack. (yeah, it's more Celtic than Scandinavian, but it still rocks)

PPS--to everyone--it's probably the most mature, not-kiddy movie Dreamworks has ever made. It's rated PG. (but that won't stop people from bringing screaming 3-year-olds though)

[Snail00]

Great Movie Loved it !!!

Hopefully there is HTTYD 2

[Vepariga]

yeah i loved it,really great,im gonna buy it definitely. with films like Kung fu panda and this, Dreamworks outclass Disney and Pixar IMO.

[eriku]

I thought it was great, but I found the Scottish and American accents odd. Should have been a totally Scandinavian dialogue with English subtitles.

Night Fury instantly became one of my favorite animated creatures ever.

[Mr March]

Glad to see others are enjoying it. Thankfully it's also doing very well at the box office ($158 million domestic), which I hadn't suspected given how terrible it's been marketed. I'm happy the movie is finding an audience and making money.

[Einherjar]

I might see it, but I was worried when one commercial I saw had a review mentioning the 3D was better than Avatar or something. No clue why a reviewer would make make that kind of connection out of the blue.

[Mr March]

I won't get into comparisons that can go nowhere, but I will say this is one of the best 3D experiences you're likely to have at the theatre. Yes, it's THAT good.

[David Hingtgen]

Or you could just watch the 2D version like I did, and not worry about all that. (though I'll admit I realize that this may be the ONLY movie that I'd consider better for having used 3D--just guessing)

Maybe I'll see it again, in 3D to compare.

[AngelBird4]

There are only two sequences where the 3D really delivered- both are flight sequences. It's use is better than Avaturd, but still just a gimmick. Not sure if everyone noted that Roger Deakins was a pretty big part of why the film was tight in its cg camera. DWAs best yet!

[Gui]

I saw it yesterday, with Madame and her kids: I expected a just above average kid show but I haven't loled so much in a while; definitely one of my best theater experiences in recent years...

Strongly recommended for everyone

[Veritas]

Despite all of the overwhelmingly positive reviews i was not 100% sold on this movie until i saw it myself on Sunday. Really excellent, deserves it's #1 position in the current box office standings. Easily the best movie i've seen all year, possibly last year as well. None of the previews/trailers do the film any justice or elude to how much depth the story actually has, not to the mention the visuals were just outstanding, especially all the little details like the individual hairs on the Vikings' beards (which are not easy to animate last i read).

Like David pointed out, probably Dreamworks Animation's best. Even better than some Pixar movies, looking at you Cars. Go and see this movie before the Summer rush starts and pushes all of the older movies out of the theaters, it's one recent movie that's actually worth the inflated price of theater admission.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Veritas

[Graham]

Took my 5 3/4 year old to see it over the chocolate bunny holiday. He enjoyed it. I thought it was OK for a kids movie.

Graham

[M'Kyuun]

Saw it today...besides the accent differences, everything else was really good...wish there were more animated movies like this. Nice little geek nods, and the night fury dragon was a great character, as mentioned. I can relate to the main character, as I'm the only male in my family who doesn't hunt and fish. I'd rather look at stuff on the internet, build something with LEGO, fidget with one of my hundreds of transforming toys and figures, or immerse myself in sci-fi/fantasy of one medium or another.

[Mr March]

Just a note, I got the impression the accents were intentional. A subtle analogy (or not so subtle) for a theme that kids and adults don't "speak" the same language. It is a kids movie after all.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

I mentioned this before in one of the other threads, this movie is right up there with the best. Liked it much better than Alice. 3D looked fantastic.

The showdown with the *spoiler* was spectacular. I've seen it twice now. I'd see it a 3rd time. Vikings RULE.

[M'Kyuun]

Just a note, I got the impression the accents were intentional. A subtle analogy (or not so subtle) for a theme that kids and adults don't "speak" the same language. It is a kids movie after all.

Possible. I hadn't given it that much thought, but you may be right. Either that or Scottish kids were in short supply for the casting call.

I thought it a bit odd to hear Scottish Vikings, although they did conquer a fair bit of the British Islands. Historically retroactive influence going on there.

Edited April 25, 2010 by M'Kyuun

[Major Focker]

just saw it and found it a thoroughly enjoyable movie. it wouldn't be fair to label it as one of the best 3D animated movies. more appropriately, it's one of the best animated movies, period.

having said that, the 3D was indeed very good and i may have just found my excuse to upgrade the home theatre to 3D.