Viewed in
2014
Formats
IMAX 3D movie theater.
Premise
In this sequel, our heroes are a bit older, and Hiccup discovers a bigger world of dragon-riders and thieves.
Loved
Emotional family moments, some great 3D scenes.
Liked
Cute and fleshed-out dragon personalities.
Hated
Boring, lazy "Alpha" dragon politics.
Thoughts
A little bit of sequel-itis, but still a fun, heartfelt, spectacular revisit to memorable characters.
The first one, a classic, was pretty much about a boy and his dog, I mean, dragon. This time, the main focus was on Hiccup's family. The trailer already spoiled that he reunites with his long-lost mother, but the actual parental dynamics were supremely emotional. My favorite moment was when she confronted her husband for the first time, the guilt just poured out like a busted dam, and even thought I knew what he was going to say (also spoiled by the trailer), the impact hit powerfully and unexpectedly. The family reunion wasn't played just for plot either. I relished how the film makers took the time to just sit in on their conversations and re-acclamation.
(As an aside, I also liked this article pointing out how they wasted Hiccup's mom's character about halfway in, an interesting piece about token bad-ass female characters here.)
Attention to detail wasn't just spent on the human characters. Every scene, you could see the dragons' personalities shining through, even if they're in the background. It was a joy just to see fellow dragons frolicking in the distance, or Toothless having funny, uncomfortable interactions with stranger dragons from the Pandora-like haven.
While it wasn't as visually jaw-dropping as its predecessor, there were still some great moments, and the immersive 3D made the IMAX 3D presentation a borderline must-see. I really felt the snow kicking into my face, the infinite vastness of free space while flying, the Godzilla-like enormity of the "alpha" dragons, and the shock and awe of wooden forts frozen in an icy explosion. Words don't really do that last bit justice.
My biggest problem was getting bogged down in dragon politics. As Hiccup's world expanded, it was logical to introduce new dragon characters to Toothless to parallel his human partner. But it wasn't interesting, nor well-planned. There was a key scene when Toothless' actions was meant to be emotional, but the payoff never earned it due to a lazy plot device derived from "alpha" dragons. Toothless' lack of consequence and its quick resolution also exacerbated my disappointment.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 was a very good sequel, given the high expectations. There was an emotional story about family, and it brought something new to the table visually and mythological. I just wished they put more thought into the new characters (rumor has it the original story had the mother end up as the villain, and they changed minds during production, creating a new villain character, which might explain his blandness).
