The Training Wheels Come Off

Rating: 8/10 (26 March 2011)

Dragons. They're the mythical creatures prevalent in one form or another in almost every culture. Dragons have also been a cinematic mainstay, starring in films such as Dragonheart, Dragonslayer, Reign of Fire and animated films such as Shrek and the classic Pete's Dragon.
Now, Dreamworks, also responsible for the Shrek franchise, have breathed life, just as dragons breathe fire, into a popular children's' book. It is during the time of the Vikings, and they have made a living out of killing dragons that terrorize their village. The story focuses on Hiccup (Baruchel), a teenage misfit who prefers to use brains over brawn and doesn't seem to be going down the traditional dragon-slayer route, much to the chagrin of his father, the chief Stoick the Vast (Butler).
Using an invention of his, Hiccup manages to down a Night Fury, a very rare breed of dragon. However, he cannot bring himself to kill it, and subsequently befriends and tames the dragon, which he names "Toothless" for its retractable teeth. Through his interactions with Toothless, Hiccup becomes a kind of "dragon whisperer", bewildering his classmates in dragon training, and inciting the jealousy of Astrid (Ferrera), an "action girl" Viking whom Hiccup nurses an unrequited crush on.
It is not long before Hiccup's double life is unveiled, and he has to convince the Vikings, most of all his father, that the dragons are not the vicious beasts that they are made out to be.
First of all, How to Train Your Dragon looks stunning. Beautiful animation brings a stylized Viking village to life, and every detail, from Stoick's impressive beard to the scales on the dragons, is vividly realized. Toothless is given very expressive, liquid eyes that dilate and contract, and convey so much emotion. The film is also very kinetic and boasts beautiful camera-work that makes it feel more like a live-action film, and the action scenes are great as well.
The 3D technology is used to its full potential here, giving depth to the already-lovely landscapes and fleshing out the characters. It also pulls the audience into the action scenes, especially sequences of the dragons in flight. Most of all, it makes the characters, be it human or dragon, that much more real and relatable, which is the greatest way that 3D technology can be used.
But visual spectacle is nothing if there's no story to back it up. Thankfully, there's a good one here, a simple but effectively-told tale about the bond between man and animal. It's also a coming-of-age story that every teenager who has felt awkward or outcast (make that all of us) can relate to. Hiccup's relationship with Toothless almost recalls classic boy-and-animal films such as the Lassie movies, Black Beauty and the Flipper and Free Willy films. It goes without saying that Toothless is a most adorable creature, comparable almost to Pixar's lovable robot WALL-E, and probably the cutest dragon one ever will see.
The voice acting, while perhaps not a highlight of the film, is undeniably good. Dreamworks is notorious for capitalizing on star power, with actors such as Eddie Murphy, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Will Smith having provided the voices for their past films. Here, Gerard "King Leonidas" Butler is perfectly cast, his gruff Scottish accent giving a sternness to the tough Viking chief. Butler is also able to express the frustration many parents feel at their children who seem to march to a different beat than they did. Jay Baruchel inflects his delivery with wit and a certain dorky charm, which suits Hiccup to a T. Ugly Betty star America Ferrera is also good at the "tough gal" shtick, and actually sounds believable as a teenager.
John Powell, who has previously scored the Jason Bourne movies, X-Men and Mr. & Mrs Smith, among others, provides an excellent soundtrack for this animated adventure. The music during the action scenes is rousing and kinetic and conveys a Viking toughness, but there are also romantic and subtle moments in the score, particularly during Astrid and Hiccup's shared flight.
In the end, How to Train Your Dragon is a bit of surprise, considering this is the studio that always plays second fiddle to Pixar animation, and has produced roundly mediocre films such as Shark Tale and Madagascar, that rode primarily on pop-culture in jokes and not much else (surprisingly, and to its benefit, How to Train Your Dragon has nary a pop-culture reference). Sure, this is probably no Ratatouille or Finding Nemo, but it is Dreamworks' best effort yet, and comes darned close.