Simply stunning!

Rating: 10/10 (15 June 2014)

Simply put, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is the reason I go to the movies. In a story that is much darker and more grown up than the first entry, Hiccup and Toothless both go down a road of transformation that is as emotional as it is thrilling. The world is bigger and the dragons are exponentially more magical. Especially Toothless, who is officially one of the greatest computer generated creations of all time. His mannerisms and emotions are equal parts of any number of animals, yet he still feels like a creature that you could find if only you looked hard enough. Also of note is John Powell's score, which soars just as high as it did in the previous installment. It's majestic and beautiful in a way that can only be described as breathtaking. DreamWorks Animation seems to be in the business of churning out family friendly sequels that exist to retread what worked in the previous film and not trying much new. But make no mistake, HTTYD2 is much more akin to The Empire Strikes Back or The Dark Knight than it is Ice Age 2 or Madagascar 2. This is a new story with new characters who are faced with some tough decisions that have consequences. I can't wait to see where this series goes from here and how then end up capping off this trilogy but Dean DeBlois and Co. have set the bar very, very high with this entry. How To Train Your Dragon 2 gets my highest recommendation, as it's absolutely a must see movie for the family as well as for anyone that is still young at heart.