Beautiful animation and visually exciting with a side of a heartfelt story.

Rating: 8/10 (27 February 2019)

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (4 out of 5 stars).
How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a fun filled animated action fantasy film with an emotional inspiring story, beautiful animation, and visually exciting action. The film does have another inspiring story to tell while packing an emotional punch with the characters. Hiccup (jay Baruchel) has caused a change in his Viking tribe. Now, they are riding dragons once they learned to train them. They have a sporting event with riders and their dragons using sheep as a ball to toss in a basket. Stoick (Gerard Butler) has wanted to train Hiccup to follow his footsteps in being a leader for their tribe someday. Hiccup is prematurely not wanting to take that responsibility yet. Hiccup is flying to new territory. He discovers another tribe that was demolished by some unknown new dragon which Eret (Kit Harrington) blames any dragon riders to be responsible. Hiccup soon discovers his mother Valka (Cate Blanchett). Who is living in an area filled with dragons. Which she is trying to protect them against a warlord Drago (Djimon Hounsou). Who wants to raise a dragon army for his own power.
There are new fun characters that you meet. And also a menacing villain Drago. And the dragon he raises which is known as the Alpha is a gigantic monstrous beast that looks kind of scary. The animation in the film is beautifully done. The landscapes, the action sequences are fantastic. I did feel like the movie did have a slower paced plot than the original movie. But it does not the stop film from being good.
Overall, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a good film. The visuals and animation is beautiful and great. The action is exciting and thrilling. The plot is a little slower but it does travel into new territories with the characters and packs an emotional punch this time.