Good entertainment

Rating: 7/10 (7 April 2010)

I like cartoons. Like many US creations it's a morality play. At time the moral element is a bit too prominent for my taste, but I suppose it's standard for the US. The moral is partly shared with Avatar and Sesame St - don't fear/hate difference. Sometimes people behave badly because they are driven by circumstances, sometimes we fight because it's all we've known, and so on. Unlike Tolkien I'm not totally opposed to allegory and there are clear parallels to the wars currently being waged by the US and Europe in the Middle East. Let's hope many warmongering politicians everywhere go to see this movie and see how stupid they are.
Actually the more I think of it, the more I realise that the Dragons represent Middle Eastern peoples (including the Afghans); and the Vikings, America. Though I suppose if I were an Iraqi peasant I might see the other way around! The big dragon is either Sadam Hussein, Tony Blair, or George Bush depending on where you live - a hungry beast driving minions on to evil acts. The one that everyone obeys because they are too frightened not to.
Also adults in this film, as in most films these days, are pretty stupid and it's the kids that figure out how to save the situation. Yay for them! I read this as part of the continuing aftershock of two world wars which showed that authority figures are not to be trusted. And this leaves us in a dilemma: we don't trust or respect authority (because it betrayed our grandparents) and so there is a breakdown in authority and responsibility.
But then they all live happily ever after, even the dragons, once everyone listens to the kids and their fresh perspective.
I was puzzled by why the grown up Vikings all have Scottish accents while the children have US accents.