How to Train Your Dragon

Rating: 7/10 (27 July 2011)

Released the same year as Toy Story 3 it was obvious this film would never win the Oscar against its biggest rival, I had to see if it was worthy however of the nomination, so I watched it. Basically long ago,set in the time of the Vikings, on the Island of Berk, the townspeople are being continuously raided by large, flying and some fire-breathing dragons, young Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Jay Baruchel) wants to join the fight against them. But he is small and clumsy, he does however have an ability for inventiveness, village leader, and his macho father Stoick the Vast (300's Gerard Butler) however will not allow him to join. To prove himself to his father and the rest of the village that Hiccup can fight and does want to kill a dragon he ventures out and manages to hit the most sought after and most feared dragon of all, the mysterious unseen Night Fury dragon. He approaches the dragon trapped on the ground and tries to bring it within himself to kill it, so he lets it go, and he returns later to find the dragon still hanging around, looking for him. Hiccup names this dragon Toothless, fixes his tail, and he finds that he has an ability to communicate with him, and other dragons also. So when father Stoick is believing he is ready to start training to kill a dragon, obviously this comes in useful as he manages to fend off a dragon rather than hurt it, much to the annoyance of Astrid Hofferson (Ugly Betty's America Ferrera). Hiccup knows that many of the legends of the dragons are wrong, they are misunderstood creatures, they only raid the village for food to feed the much bigger source of their kingdom, they are actually a friendly species. For a while the villagers and those training to fight the dragons are fooled into thinking the young Viking is somehow able to scare dragons away, but seeing his dragon and finding out the truth is not very good. In the end however Hiccup proves himself against the biggest threat as he and Toothless fight against it, the villagers see that dragons are indeed not to be feared, and all live in harmony. Also starring Craig Ferguson as Gobber the Belch, Jonah Hill as Snotlout, Superbad's Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fishlegs, Kristen Wiig as Ruffnut, T.J. Miller as Tuffnut, Ashley Jensen as Phlegma the Fierce and David Tennant as Spitelout. The characters of young dragon-whisperer Hiccup, his quite feisty father Stoick, of course the friendly Toothless and many others really add to the mix, the story is pleasant and easy to follow, and the special effects do create exciting and terrific scenes, a most watchable family animated comedy adventure. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Music for John Powell and Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, it was nominated the BAFTAs for the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music and Best Animated Feature Film, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Animated Film. Very good!