Just as wonderful as the original

Rating: 9/10 (24 June 2016)

How to Train Your Dragon 2, the sequel to the How To Train Your Dragon (obviously), the animated film which came out in 2010. I consider it a great sequel, just as wonderful as the original, making it another Equal Sequel. I really enjoy sequels that expand on the first film's story rather than just rehash the original's plot, and this film does just that.
Set 5 years after the events of the original, the Viking Hiccup and his friends are now young adults who have since made peace with the dragons and live in harmony with them in their village. Hiccup and his dragon Toothless now often go on adventures together, exploring new lands and territories. One day, the two of them discover a cave made of ice that is home to many new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider. Upon this discovery, the two end up in the centre of another conflict between humans and dragons, which they attempt to resolve.
This sequel was a bit darker than the first one, but it still retains the charm and wonder that the original had going for it. I really liked how it showed another way that humans can be the real evil monsters and not the dragons themselves. Hiccup is a lot wiser and more determined than he was before, and that made the resolution much more satisfying to see.
I rate it 8.5/10 and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loved the original.