Amazing... if only we had time to enjoy it.

Rating: 9/10 (11 September 2014)

I have given 9 to HTTYD 2 but it would be more like 7++ actually. Then why not rate it 8? Because 9 is what I would have given to it, if only it did not have this one flaw.
I had seen the trailers and all the featurettes beforehand because I was really expecting it and because being spoiled doesn't bother me in the least: it's not so much about the destination, but about the journey =)
And truthfully, I was amazed: this movie is exceptionally well-made and careful about so many details! (except for the distances, which was the same in the first ^^) I always watch a movie at least 3 or 4 times before posting a review: and at least once fully awake and once half asleep. And the result was conclusive: I enjoyed it thoroughly every single time. Technically, story-wise, and emotionally, it most definitely achieves its goal: being at least as good as the first, and even slightly better.
Still. because there always is a still, and that this one isn't exactly minor. After each time I watched it, I couldn't help but realize that I did not have enjoyed it the movie so much as WISH I had enjoyed it. ANd yet everything was good or better, so why? The answer I found was... time. In actuality, I could not enjoy most of the events of the movie for the simple reason they all went too fast: as soon as the feeling of delight starts, you are thrown into something new, which leaves you suddenly empty, and by the time you are into the new situation, the next one is about to come. In my opinion, this movie should be roughly 40 minutes longer. Now, I know it would bring it up to around 2h20m, but I believe that the length of a film doesn't matter so long as it's justified.
So, Dean Deblois: very nice job, but please don't rush your movies in the future; it's such a shame :/