Do Not Let the Trailer Discourage You. This is Very Good!

Rating: 10/10 (21 March 2010)

The trailer of this movie was so unpromising and unattractive. It did not make me want to watch this, in 3D no less. However, my kids all wanted to watch it, so of course, my wife and I had to go with them.
The first one-fourth of the movie was very static and slow for me, all talk. I felt very sleepy and was in fact, drifting off. I did not really immediately like the appearance of the kids, which I found generally annoying. However, when time came that our hero (with the improbable name of Hiccup) met his cute dragon pal (with the equally improbable name of Toothless), the movie picked up pace and from there, it never looked back.
The next three fourths of the film was alive with beautiful 3D animation and very heartfelt and touching writing. I know we have all seen flying dragons before (like in "Shrek"), but the additional animated depth and the fantastic background scenery gave this one a breath-taking quality that made it distinct. The very meticulous and larger-than life scenes of the Viking armada at sea, the Vikings running from the exploding mountain, and especially the final climactic battle, were truly in a class of their own. That is saying a lot in these times when 3D animation seems to be the standard already, and not the exception.
The story of the rough tough father and his weakling son has been played in out in various ways in so many various movies before. But somehow, the way it is played out here still managed to be effective in drawing out genuine emotions. The straightforward storyline and familiar conflicts were successfully brought to a higher level by the original vision and masterful direction of Dean de Blois and Chris Sanders (of "Lilo and Stitch"). This is a shoo-in for one of the nominee slots in the Best Animated Feature Oscar for the coming year.