Film Review: How to Train Your Dragon 2
It's a sign of the times that animated features such as How to Train Your Dragon 2 often feature more nuanced characters and plots than live-action adventures.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
Voiced by: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Cate Blanchett (English version)
Director: Dean DeBlois
Category: I (English and Cantonese versions)
It's a sign of the times that animated features such as How to Train Your Dragon 2 often feature more nuanced characters and plots than live-action adventures.
This sequel to the 2010 hit, loosely based on Cressida Cowell's books, brings back many of the cheery and affable charmers from the original, with some exhilarating flying dragon sequences. Not only does director-writer Dean DeBlois cleverly extend the How to Train Your Dragon storyline into a true sequel but he does it in a manner that will appeal to older fantasy fans and younger children alike.
Although there's nothing in it to frighten the kids, DeBlois builds a looming sense of danger that brings to mind the impending sense of doom present in The Lord of the Rings. Older viewers will enjoy immersing themselves in this world, while the youngsters will find the funny dragon creations a constant source of amusement.
The story takes place five years after the first film. The Viking village that once fought with dragons is full of them; the beasts have integrated themselves into daily life as friends, colleagues and workers. It's an idyllic setting which even features a dragon racing competition that is, like so many competitions in recent fantasy films, reminiscent of Harry Potter's quidditch.
