How to Train Your Dragon 2

I LOVE the first movie. My favourite animated film, outside of Disney, of all time and I was worried that this might not hold up to the original.

I was wrong.

I'm still in two minds if it is better than the original though.

One thing that astounds me is the detail. The effects are absolutely mind-blowing and very thorough. There are some shots of Toothless where you can see the detail in his scales, including sometimes dirt and scars.

The original voice cast is back and still awesome, the story is amazing, the effects are jaw dropping and the score fits with the film perfectly.

This movie has everything in just over 100 minutes; action, adventure, laughs, tears for every one of all ages.

I just have one complaint…

… I DON'T WANNA WAIT JUST OVER THREE YEARS FOR THE NEXT FILM!!!

How to Train Your Dragon 2 follows the common rule of sequels by making everything bigger, even though that isn't always enough to justify the series. In fact, it usually leads the franchise into a disaster, and thankfully this film is one of the rare which lives up to its promise. While it already provides the most breathtaking action and impressive visuals, it also able to expand the universe and give huge room for nice warmth beneath the bombast. Once again, the studio has put aside their recent style of broader gags and bullet speed pacing and settle down for a real storytelling that reminds us why animated movies are so appealing anyway. How to Train Your Dragon 2 has given all what you've wished for as a great sequel.

The plot sure does heightened into an epic installment, it could have been an easy throw away of cool effects, battle sequences, and humor, but the movie is smart to keep on following its own roots by settling more on the characterization of their world and Hiccup's life with his dragon and the tribe. To keep it from being a wheel spinning visual showcase, the story embeds itself with full of inspired emotions, example is when it explores the icy dragon cave. It wasn't only an exposition, it is mainly a developing relationship between Hiccup and his long-lost mother. The quieter moments of letting the once disconnected family reunite again captures the same heart of the boy and dragon friendship of the first movie, which certainly made it pretty endearing.

The film also spends its time exploring more places around and beyond the Isle of Berk. It's quite interesting to let the years pass by and make the young vikings grow mature, and how it depicts their maturity is pretty clever, like the hormonal attraction of Snotlout and Fishlegs to Ruffnut, in spite of fact their comic relief get a a bit way out of hand. The dragon species were also given enough intriguing details, essentially for the plot, which sort of recalls the book series of Cressida Cowell. This is a rich universe that makes the whole journey even bigger.

The voice acting is predictably great. Jay Baruchel still brings the same earnestness to Hiccup even when the character's new appearance has outgrown his voice. Gerard Butler remains to be perfect as Stoick The Vast, he lends more gravity to the character in this one. Cate Blanchett joins in and she appropriately gives a great amount of warmth to the role. The other cast did well enough at keeping things much alive. For the filmmaking, the direction handles a better pacing compared to the other quicker cuts of the last few animated films. It's an easier way to watch by concentrating each scene of getting know of the characters, either with or without any dialogue. The flying scenes have always been a tremendous ride with scale and fortitude. John Powell's score helps making it feel much powerful, and it gets even better with a Jónsi song in it.

Apart from Disney, these are the only animated films of Hollywood today that have a wider ambition other than selling off kids with cool visuals and absurdist humor. There is an actual story to be found here, even without following its source material. The typical elements of Dreamworks are still there, but is hardly noticed. It's nearly like the first film, except of course it's larger. It does justice to today's family fare, somewhat forgetting the current mediocrity and rather fills it with inspiration from the past. One thing that is missing in most of the genre's attempt of transcending their films is the sincerity to its heart. Every affection in How To Train Your Dragon 2 never felt forced and right there it soars way up high. And if we have learned something about training dragons from the past, then it is the same thing about sequels: You don't just yell at it.

Seeing the original 'How to Train Your Dragon' for the first time made me feel like a kid again and it has since become one of my all-time favorite films, so when I got a chance to see this, I was as much worried as I was excited. In the past, some of the films I have anticipated the most turned out to be the biggest disappointments, so I took a deep breath and tried to lower my expectations going in. I needn't have feared: I'm glad to report that Dean DeBlois has crafted a beautifully animated tale that loses nothing of its predecessor's sense of fun and adventure, while it enhances Hiccup's and Toothless' journey into an almost classic - and unexpectedly touching - "coming-of-age" story.

While still colourful, playful and visually all over the place (I mean that in a good way*), the tone of the sequel is noticeably darker and the predominant themes are more mature. The writers made some (for Hollywood movies) unusually daring decisions in having Hiccup face very tough realities in life; especially one about the danger of over-humanizing pets and forgetting about their animal nature. Small children had perhaps better stay away, since the film is also quite a bit scarier than the original. That's not saying that there isn't a lot of humour – but the wisecracks of Jonah Hill & Co. will most certainly be lost on the very young and are clearly targeted towards older children and teenagers.

*A word about the animation: This is among the most visually stunning animated films I have ever seen; at times, there is so much eye-popping spectacle on screen that you don't know where to focus anymore - this one definitely needs a second viewing.

My overall verdict: While the storyline may not be quite as straightforward as the original's, the well written, credible character development and the gorgeous visuals are more than satisfying. 'How to Train Your Dragon 2' could have played it safe by merely repeating the original's formula – it opted instead for the introduction of fascinating new characters while giving the ones we know more back-story and a chance to grow up and explore new territory. I would say that next to 'Days of Future Past', this is one of the best sequels Hollywood has produced in a very long time. 9 stars out of 10 (with the option of a straight 10 once I've seen it again).

Favorite Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054200841/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

'How to Train Your Dragon' is my all-time favourite animated film, so when I heard a sequel was being made, I knew it was one I had to see. The last animated film I saw in the cinema was 'Toy Story 3' four years ago, so going to see this beautifully executed flick was a treat. This film truly lives up to its expectations and builds upon its predecessor's achievements like any good sequel should, and from this, the outcome is stunning. More mature and thematic than its predecessor, 'How to Train Your Dragon 2' is an emotionally resonant and heartfelt flick that expands upon the story of Hiccup and Toothless and their connection. With swooping and stunning visuals and epic animated set pieces, this is a sequel to remember, a modern masterpiece.

Unfortunately the marketing for this film is subpar and misleading, as it was for the first one. My best advice to you is ***AVOID THE TRAILERS AT ALL COSTS. They include major spoilers to some very emotional points in the film.

This is another level of animated film, one that gracefully crosses generational gaps and will speak volumes to any age group. Because of the critical and audience acclaim of the beloved predecessor, many are afraid that a sequel will not match the mastery of the first one, that this would be created purely as a money-making gimmick, like many Hollywood sequels. If these are your presumptions, you couldn't be more wrong. This film is worthy of all the hopes and expectations you are afraid to carry into the theater. DeBlois has told us a moving story, one that won't be soon forgotten, that so many of us will connect with. At Comic Con 2013, DeBlois said that this was "The Empire Strikes Back" of the trilogy. That is a hefty promise, which he has successfully delivered.

The world of HTTYD2 has been vastly expanded and explored, very little of the film takes place on Berk. It is much more of an adventure film. The film has taken everything from HTTYD to the next level: emotion, intensity, action, adventure, humor, and depth. It takes risks I have seen so few animated films take, full of twists and turns, that will keep you engaged and invested.

For me the film could have had a stronger beginning, a few less childish jokes, and a bit slower pacing (probably should have been about 10 minutes longer). Other than some very nit-picky notes, that is literally the worst that I can say about it.

HTTYD2 is a phenomenal film and will deservedly pick up the academy award for best animated film of the year. John Powell, will again be nominated (and hopefully win) for his inventively emotional score.

This was my most anticipated film of the past two years and it does not disappoint. The four years of work on it show, as it is a polished film. It is one of those rare films that inspires. And one of the few that you walk out of the theater feeling so much emotion and thinking "Gosh, I can't wait to see that again."