Anyone can enjoy this.

Rating: 10/10 (29 March 2010)

This movie is nothing you haven't seen before, but everything you want to see in a movie. You can't help but feel a compassion for each of the characters that, bolstered by the animation, causes you to laugh, cry, and gasp aloud. Here we have the typical coming of age story with father-son disagreements, special animal-man relationships, pacifist sentiments, and predictable romance-- such themes are no strangers to film. But this story in particular is stocked with pithy, intelligent dialogue and easy humor without seeming to relish in its own accomplishment. The movie packs in a lot of information in its too-short hour and a half. I wouldn't have minded if that time was doubled. Many others are comparing How to Train Your Dragon to Avatar. While there are obvious similarities, I must say that I found the characters in HTTYD considerably more compelling; I never came close to crying in Avatar. I also did not expect the slight twist in the ending here. I won't give it away, but it was a refreshing change from the stereotyped finales that everyone predicts before the movie begins (again, I'm looking at Avatar). Overall, How to Train Your Dragon is fun enough for children and intelligent enough for adults. This college student certainly enjoyed it, and was utterly consumed. I experienced a slight shock when I looked to the side and saw my familiar, non-dragon friends still sitting beside me. Anyone can (and most will) enjoy this.