Good but lacking

Rating: 8/10 (16 June 2014)

I loved the first How to Train your Dragon and I was really upset when it didn't win the Oscar that year; I still say it go robbed by the sentimental favorite Toy Story 3. So I couldn't wait until they did it again. The first promo looked promising but the more I saw the subsequent trailers the more I worry about Hiccup and Toothless story getting lost in endless dragon battles. For the record I agree with a lot that they really need to rethink trailers that give away crucial surprises in the story; it's getting to be quite irritating. Also I feel that things they mistake for drama and heart really seem to fall flat and that is the case with this sequel. It really kind of turned into a sappy, preach feast that really lacked the emotional impact of the first movie. And the ending monologue by Hiccup was really awful; it sounded like he was giving a political speech instead of wrapping up a kids film.
I do have to say that the visuals and animation are still the best I've ever seen second to Frozen. They really do a great job with the aerial sequences and they kept some of my favorite music from the first film, though I would have like to have had more great new music. Again some his and some misses but we still love the characters and the dragons.