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James Reviews - How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

The conclusion to the "How To Train Your Dragon" franchise is beautifully bittersweet.

By James F. EwartPublished 4 years ago Updated 2 years ago 4 min read
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It's not often that an animated film manages to kick off a trilogy of films that are consistent in quality, and an even larger rarity when Dreamworks' Animation produces something of such caliber. When How To Train Your Dragon came out in 2010, it wowed the entire world and put Dreamworks' back in the fight. Coming out in a time where they were floating by on the success of Shrek series and Disney seemed to dominate the animation industry. With this beautifully animated, epically scored and well written contribution, it got everyone to sit up and pay attention, realizing that this company had more to offer than the adventures of a green ogre. However, all good things must come to an end, and after a terrific sequel and a few successful TV series, The Hidden World closes out the trilogy, and the entire franchise, on a teary and fantastical note.

The opening sequence is a prime demonstration of the passion the filmmakers put into the project. Hiccup and his band of Dragon Riders are rescuing captured dragons from a band of Vikings who haven't been accustomed to co-living with these creatures. The detail that goes into the design of every dragon is remarkable, their unique movement patterns and noises creates a character within these beasts. The rescue leads to the rescue of what appears to be a blue-eyed, white scaled version of Toothless; a Light Fury. After returning to Berk, the growing population of dragons has the Vikings concerned about overcrowding, prompting Hiccup to seek out the place his father would tell him stories about; a safe haven known as the "Hidden World". This is a concise evolution for Hiccup's character, he may be a man and have inherited his chiefdom, but he still has a lot growing to do.

Keeping the dragons safe is proving to be harder, with a trapper named Grimmel the Grisly (voiced by F. Murray Abraham) is using the Light Fury to bait Toothless into a trap and rid the species once and for all. There are some cute moments between the two dragons, notably a beach scene that features no dialogue, and is reminiscent of the bonding sequence between Hiccup and Toothless in the first film. The Viking chief does his best to help out his pal, even though it gets off to a rough start - including a moment that has memed all over the place.

It's quieter moments like these that the film thrives in, letting the world stand still and allowing the scenery and the music to take the spotlight. That being said, there's a lot to be said for the spectacle; sweeping cinematography boosted by a compelling score, it never gets old hearing that elevating orchestra as Hiccup rides Toothless through the sky. One scene in particular that is essentially a showcase for the talents of the animators is when Astrid and Hiccup find the so-called "Hidden World", and it truly does feel like its own separate place, shut away from the everything else.

When the movie reaches its final confrontation, it's an impressive display of colours, camerawork and musical composition, but in a similar vein to its predecessor, it fails to capture the scale and impact of the climatic battle of the first film. The danger still feels real enough to be worried for our heroes, as Grimmel is a cleverly strategic villain, even if he isn't the most physically intimidating. However, because the battle feels more of a rescue mission than a showdown with the antagonist, it lacks in dramatic catharsis. The movie did an excellent job of building up an epic finale, so for the result to be less than that, is disappointing. The ending does feel rather poignant, however, with some closure being provided for Hiccup and Toothless and their lives from here on out.

In a year where so many franchises are putting forth their final installment, there's bound to be room for one or two letdowns, fortunately, How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is not one of them. It caps off a decade of work that shows what Dreamworks' is capable of doing, and in the case of the world of Berk, they did a phenomenal job.

Rating: 9/10 - Amazing

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About the Creator

James F. Ewart

I write what's on my mind.

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