A big step backwards.

Rating: 5/10 (28 October 2014)

*Contains Spoilers for both HTTYD 1 and 2* I thought that How to Train Your Dragon (2010) was a phenomenal movie; in fact, I think that it still stands as the pinnacle of animated movies to this day, both through storytelling and through beautiful animation. In the original, a young boy realizes that dragons and Vikings can coexist after main protagonist Hiccup bonds with a wounded dragon trapped in a crater. Hiccup nurses the dragon, whom he named Toothless, back to health, and the two characters realize that the species they both were brought up to hate are not ruthless monsters, but instead intelligent and compassionate beings. The two then bring their worlds together and unite to face the real evil- the malevolent Queen dragon that forces her dragons to feed her, or else. There is quality character progression, a love interest, moments that make you laugh, moments that make your heart skip a beat, and you come to love the setting and the characters- especially the unbreakable bond between Hiccup and Toothless.
But then came How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014). It started off exactly like the first, with Hiccup narrating the lifestyle of his homeland. The opening scene with the game of capture-the-sheep is very... forced. There is nothing that throws us into danger like HTTYD 1 did with the epic battle of Vikings vs Dragons. The dialog of the other teenagers/young adults is annoying and repetitive (and this continues throughout the movie), and the scene only exists to reveal that Hiccup is missing. Cut to the next scene.
NOW we get thrown into the Fantasy world we all loved from HTTYD 1- the dynamic duo is soaring through the air, we see Hiccup's impressive armor and flight suit, and we realize that their bond remains as strong as the original. But then comes Astrid, who has had her character image flipped upside down. The former badass tom-boy that played a critical role in HTTYD 1 is now a happy and carefree character that serves as a sidekick rather than a partner/love interest. Throughout the entire movie, she follows Hiccup's lead. Again. And Again. And again. She is a flat character with no development, which is a shame seeing as she was such a round and dynamic character in HTTYD 1.
Skipping ahead, we see a pirate trapper with no motive as to why he serves a villain who gives him nothing in return, the continuation of Stoick playing the "I never listen to my son" father, and Gobber playing the comic relief character who says nothing witty or clever (except for his quote on marriage- that quote had some funny, hidden adult humor). And then comes... Drago. The cliché name combined with a barbaric tone of voice is bad enough, but do you know why he has set his sights on world domination with a fierce dragon army? No? Neither do I. He is the horrible "bad just to be bad" villain that we neither sympathize for nor love to hate. He hints that his village was destroyed by dragons, but their is no detail or backstory. And with his village destroyed when he was a young boy, he somehow managed to take control of an Alpha dragon that could squash him like a bug. Oh, and this Alpha also has mind control powers. But it only works on other dragons. Why? To drag the plot forward of course.
The saving grace for the main characters was Hiccup's mother, Valka. The reunion scenes, both with Hiccup and Stoick, were touching. Her knowledge of dragons that she passes on to Hiccup is crucial. Her dialog progresses the plot, adds drama, and her soft voice is a nice break from the annoying banter of the other young adults. Combine Valka with Hiccup and Toothless, and you get enjoyable scenes from the time she is introduced to the end of the movie.
As for the dynamic duo, they were a joy to watch for the entirety of the movie. Their unbreakable bond and humorous arguing and character progression was amazing. And the symbolism is even greater- at the end of HTTYD 1, we see the bond of the due symbolized through Toothless' clipped back wing and Hiccup's amputated leg. This connects them. By the end of HTTYD 2, Toothless became the Alpha of his species and Hiccup became the Chief of Burk. This shows that the are both capable of individual achievements. Stoick passes away, yet stays with them in spirit as seen when a statue of him is carved in a cliff. The list goes on and on.
Conclusion: They say that the sequel never beats the original; heart and soul was poured into HTTYD 1, but HTTYD 2 got the remaining drops. HTTYD 2 has a weak story, weak characters (besides the duo and Valka), and is a real let down from the first movie. If you are expecting a great continuation from the Masterpiece that is HTTYD 1, you will be disappointed.