Coming-of-Age

Rating: Null/10 (11 September 2011)

How to Train Your Dragon is a story told long ago about a Viking village and the struggles the villagers have with dragons attacking them on a regular basis, stealing their livestock and setting buildings ablaze. Hiccup, played by Jay Baruchel, is a young boy wishing to join his father, Stoick, played by Gerard Butler, and the other men on the island of Berk as a dragon slayer. However, Stoick does not believe his son can be of any assistance because of his small size. What Hiccup lacks in size, he well makes up for in brains, inventing a tool that shoots down the mysterious Night Fury dragon that all the people in the village fear. Instead of killing the wounded dragon, Hiccup befriends him. Hiccup eventually learns the truth of why the dragons attack the village.
This story is a coming-of-age story about a boy wanting to be like his father, but in his own way. The story triumphs when the father and son learn to respect the differences they have and even learn from each other. The ending of the movie is similar to the ending in the movie Pinocchio. In both movies, the young boy saves the day and earns his father's respect.
Much of the movie is about how Hiccup and the dragon, named Toothless learn to trust one another. When Hiccup sees that Toothless cannot fly because of his injury when Hiccup shot him, Hiccup uses his inventive skills to fashion a new tail-piece for Toothless that allows Toothless to fly. The scene where Toothless takes a long flight with Hiccup is especially exciting. The fast pace speed of flight through the rock formations in the water will have viewers holding their breath until they are back in open air space.
There is the additional subplot of romance intertwined throughout the movie. Hiccup has a crush on a young dragon slayer named Astrid, played by America Ferrera. At first, she has no interest in Hiccup, but when she learns about Toothless, she becomes an ally for Hiccup.
The movie makes good use of color throughout the movie from the black color of Toothless, the mysterious Night Fury dragon, symbolizing it is something feared. The difference in the colors of the village homes and landscaping at the very end tells how life has changed for the villagers.
How to Train Your Dragon is an excellent coming-of-age movie for the entire family to enjoy. Let the family laugh and cry together through the watching of this animated movie.