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How to Train Your Dragon
Year: 2010
Directors: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
How to Train Your Dragon is a stunningly beautiful, imaginative film that seemingly came out of nowhere from Dreamworks. Let's face it. Dreamworks made the Kung Fu Panda franchise and the Shrek franchise. Neither are bad, but neither are seen as the most noble and serious films out there. Not that that's a bad film - both series are quite entertaining. But How to Train Your Dragon is such an interesting shift for the studio. The emotional depth of the characters, the stunning music and visuals, the overall finesse. It makes How to Train Your Dragon easily the best Dreamworks animated film. Watch it and you'll see what I mean.
First, how about it for a great, great, protagonist. Hiccup is such a great example of the teenage character that's often written for entirely wrong. Hiccup is a character with a lot of flaws - he's awkward, doesn't want associate himself with his family, and is quite helpless - but a lot of strengths. He's a character that we immediately attach to and love. That's the key thing that holds this movie together (among many other amazing things as well of course). Hiccup is also a great example of a static protagonist. He doesn't really change his character throughout the film, rather he changes other's mindsets. It's a refreshing change from the often animated kids protagonist that must change or learn or lesson. Much like Remy in Ratatouille, Hiccup doesn't do that.
The supporting characters are also pretty fantastic. Some of them are obnoxious and unnecessary, but I can overlook that for the rest of them. Astrid is a pretty solid female "powerhouse" character, and Hiccup's father is very well-written. His relationship with Hiccup is often deep and complex, and deep inside, we never really hate him even though he makes bad decisions. Hiccup's mother is mentioned once, and then dropped, which I find interesting. Of course the sequels follow that story up, but ignoring them, his mother seems a silent presence in both of their lives.
And how can I forget Toothless? The aggressive yet caring, often annoyed but ultimately joyful, dragon that ties the whole film's plot together. Toothless is a stereotyped dragon, a creature that has been seen as a killer since the beginning of the Vikings. Hiccup's defiance and refusal to kill Toothless of course represents a change, a shift in this mindset which ultimately decides the events of the rest of the film. Hiccup's constant support and growth of relationship with Toothless is touching, and it pays off during the final battle sequence.
As for the technical aspects, they are pretty darn admirable. Let's talk about the visuals. No other film has given me a better sensation of flying through the air, the wind in my air, awesome views everywhere around me, than How to Train Your Dragon. Those scenes simply make my jaw drop. The rest of the film has stunning animation as well. It's a film that you just sit and stare at, never wanting it to end just so you can look at those visuals.
And the music of course! Wow!!! John Powell is an under-appreciated genius, his score for How to Train Your Dragon is majestic, beautiful, powerful, epic, intimate, basically everything. It leaves me stunned and inspired, and in fact I am listening to it right now as I write this. There are other soundtracks that are better, but How to Train Your Dragon's score is certainly up there with the greats.
It's only been 9 years since its release, but I suspect How to Train Your Dragon will become a classic along the lines of the Disney Renaissance and Studio Ghibli films. There's a timelessness about it that just refuses to leave you, and it remains an awe-inspiring film that I want to return to in the future.
How to Train Your Dragon
Year: 2010
Directors: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
How to Train Your Dragon is a stunningly beautiful, imaginative film that seemingly came out of nowhere from Dreamworks. Let's face it. Dreamworks made the Kung Fu Panda franchise and the Shrek franchise. Neither are bad, but neither are seen as the most noble and serious films out there. Not that that's a bad film - both series are quite entertaining. But How to Train Your Dragon is such an interesting shift for the studio. The emotional depth of the characters, the stunning music and visuals, the overall finesse. It makes How to Train Your Dragon easily the best Dreamworks animated film. Watch it and you'll see what I mean.
First, how about it for a great, great, protagonist. Hiccup is such a great example of the teenage character that's often written for entirely wrong. Hiccup is a character with a lot of flaws - he's awkward, doesn't want associate himself with his family, and is quite helpless - but a lot of strengths. He's a character that we immediately attach to and love. That's the key thing that holds this movie together (among many other amazing things as well of course). Hiccup is also a great example of a static protagonist. He doesn't really change his character throughout the film, rather he changes other's mindsets. It's a refreshing change from the often animated kids protagonist that must change or learn or lesson. Much like Remy in Ratatouille, Hiccup doesn't do that.
The supporting characters are also pretty fantastic. Some of them are obnoxious and unnecessary, but I can overlook that for the rest of them. Astrid is a pretty solid female "powerhouse" character, and Hiccup's father is very well-written. His relationship with Hiccup is often deep and complex, and deep inside, we never really hate him even though he makes bad decisions. Hiccup's mother is mentioned once, and then dropped, which I find interesting. Of course the sequels follow that story up, but ignoring them, his mother seems a silent presence in both of their lives.
And how can I forget Toothless? The aggressive yet caring, often annoyed but ultimately joyful, dragon that ties the whole film's plot together. Toothless is a stereotyped dragon, a creature that has been seen as a killer since the beginning of the Vikings. Hiccup's defiance and refusal to kill Toothless of course represents a change, a shift in this mindset which ultimately decides the events of the rest of the film. Hiccup's constant support and growth of relationship with Toothless is touching, and it pays off during the final battle sequence.
As for the technical aspects, they are pretty darn admirable. Let's talk about the visuals. No other film has given me a better sensation of flying through the air, the wind in my air, awesome views everywhere around me, than How to Train Your Dragon. Those scenes simply make my jaw drop. The rest of the film has stunning animation as well. It's a film that you just sit and stare at, never wanting it to end just so you can look at those visuals.
And the music of course! Wow!!! John Powell is an under-appreciated genius, his score for How to Train Your Dragon is majestic, beautiful, powerful, epic, intimate, basically everything. It leaves me stunned and inspired, and in fact I am listening to it right now as I write this. There are other soundtracks that are better, but How to Train Your Dragon's score is certainly up there with the greats.
It's only been 9 years since its release, but I suspect How to Train Your Dragon will become a classic along the lines of the Disney Renaissance and Studio Ghibli films. There's a timelessness about it that just refuses to leave you, and it remains an awe-inspiring film that I want to return to in the future.