All audience reviews of How To Train Your Dragon 2

How to Train your Dragon 2 is a full-scale entertainer in every sense of the word. There is plenty of action, emotion and drama to keep you engrossed and wanting for more at the end of the movie.

The story starts with Hiccup's dad trying to groom him to become the Chief and Hiccup's reluctance to do so thinking he is not cut out for that role. The story here introduces the dark dragon tamer Drago who is building a Dragon army and is keen on capturing dragons and dominating the world. Hiccup believes he can talk him out of it and goes in search of him. Instead he runs into his long estranged mother Valka who has become a protector of dragons. A fierce battle ensues between Drago' s dragon army and Hiccup. Hiccups's father, Chief Stoick loses his life but Hiccup comes into his own as a leader.

The family reunion is sentimental but glossed over quickly as the fight takes over. But it doesn't matter much for kids who are completely in awe of the spectacle before them. 3D enhances the fantasy especially the scenes which are full of dragons in every shape, color and form. It just took my breath away.

Highly recommended for adults and kids alike, less

Every element that made the first so endearing is back in abundance in the second round, but the whole experience doesn't quite measure up to the original or the lofty expectations it places on the sequel's shoulders. It's still fun but somehow the ride is uneven.

Hiccup (voice of Jay Baruchel) has led his village Berk to live harmoniously with the dragons who are now a vital part of the community. His father, Stoick the Vast (voice of Gerard Butler) wants him to take on responsibilities as the chief of the village, something Hiccup is reluctant to do. However when a trip brings Hiccup face to face with his long lost mother, Valka (Cate Blanchett) a family reunion of sorts is set in motion. Valka has become a sort of lone-wolf, protector of Dragons, creating a safe haven for them and it's obvious she's passed on the trait to her son. Trouble looms on the horizon as a brutal warlord, Drago (voice of Djimon Hounsou) is amassing an army of dragons which threatens to shatter the peace of their world.

While there are plenty of thematic elements that veer away from the usual template of kiddie movies, venturing into dark territory, they needed to be fleshed out further. It's simply not a matter of time devoted to building the sub-plot, but of the quality of emotion that seems at times perfunctory rather than genuine like the first movie had. The family reunion in particular could have been handled better and the same goes for Drago's character. Now Drago is almost like an older, evil mirror of Hiccup. They both have close proximity to Dragons and that proximity has defined their past lives emotionally and physically. This could have made for a fascinating character and plot element that unfortunately is very briefly touched upon. However I might seem like I'm nitpicking but the first movie was filled with properly fleshed out elements like this that made it so endearing.

I know the darker elements are supposed to make it more "adult" and it does help in parts but what's lacking is a strong conviction to go through with them all the way, which also makes it fall short of the glorious standards set by the first one. Like at the end of the first one, making Hiccup lose a foot was unexpected and a brave move, but it resonated because it had the emotional connect with Toothless. In this one when a dark moment arrives, it's not entirely unexpected because suddenly a large portion of the movie has been spent on a rather long family reunion that doesn't push the plot forward. Plus the moment does leave a mark, but doesn't quite have the same poignancy of the realisation of the physical loss depicted in the first one's ending.

The scenes of the high-soaring action and the various new species of dragons on display are spellbinding. The animation is spectacular and the humour just as enjoyable as the first one. The 3D does add to viewing experience admirably and the soundtrack accentuates onscreen proceedings well.

Overall the movie's a lot of fun and the kids will love the dragons, jokes and the action but those who wanted that genuine emotional connect that the first one offered might be left a little dissatisfied. less

How To Train Your Dragon 2 is as good as the original film, if not better. But more importantly, it's a magnificent film in its own right. It is one of those rare successors that don't replicate the first film but give us something new. They take risks to expand the world and enhance the mythology instead of cowardly and unimaginatively playing it safe. The sequel to How To Train Your Dragon contains sweeping high-flying action with a strong emotional core at the center. The film is so beautifully animated, it immerses you in its world and engulfs you in the proceedings.

Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid and Stoick are back and Berk is now a home ground for dragons. This animated Nordic fantasy opens with a Quidditch-with-Sheep-like game, which introduces us to the amount of aerial awesomeness that we will witness for the next hour and a half. And we do.

The vast canvas is established, the villains are set up and there is plot twist (which was already spoiled in the trailers). The voice performances by the actors was never this good in an animated film. From the talented Jay Baruchel and America Ferrera to the splendid Gerard Butler and Cate Blanchett. The relationships between Hiccup and the characters (including his dragon, Toothless) form the beating heart of the film. The laughs come consistently but intermittently and surprisingly from the background action. Don't miss those dragons doing something weird at the corner of the screen. Or the sheep. One of the funniest sub-plots in the film involves the young Viking girl, Ruffnut (voiced by Kristen Wiig) fawning over a new addition to the cast - Eret (voiced by Kit Harrington). I laughed out loud every single time she ogled and swooned. Those tweens would relate.

There is a point in the film where the narrative pauses for a small period of time. These moments where the plot is forgotten for a brief interval, the pace is slowed down and we see characters talk to each other are almost missing from big blockbusters these days. Here there is a tender song, which is touching and funny at the same time. It was definitely one of my favorite moments from the film.

Although, while watching the film I wondered whether this film would be a little different from what the kids expect. This is not your average children's fare. Yes, there are many cutesy things and visual delights but the story isn't exactly childlike. There is a lot of fun to be had, the scale is grand but the story takes some grave turns and the tone of the film isn't supremely light-hearted. The adults will find this more inviting. I'm not saying it is not for kids but maybe it could be a bit a hefty for them. To sum it up, it's a bit more grown up than the first film. Why shouldn't it be? Hiccup is not a wee lad anymore.

The best sequels like The Empire Strikes Back (1981), Aliens (1986) and more recently, The Dark Knight (2008) give you more than you asked for. They don't offer the same plot and they build on the universe. They don't stagnate, they move forward. I wouldn't say they are better than the first film but what strikes me about them is that they stand on their own as great films. This is exactlt how a sequel should be.

The production design of the film is marvelous. The ice structures, the seas and the skies, each location is a sight to behold. The 3D doesn't hamper the look of the film but makes the experience more wondrous. When each visual cue is used to make you submerge you into the cinema screen, it's hard to not take the plunge and swim with the tide/ wind. It's never really goodbye when the film has ended. You want to explore this world more. It is one of those rare times you wish for another film to be made to take the franchise forward. Another chance for you to discover another world in this dazzling universe. less

Watching How to Train your Dragon 2 made me wonder how far animation films have come, not just in terms of technique or skill but in terms of who is watching them and how the content is tailored accordingly. An animation film that has lusty hormones messing with the head and a funeral reminding one of GOT's episodes is indeed a far cry from the sweet and innocent Bambi's of yore. HTTYD2, much like its predeccessor, breaks a lot of new ground, relinquishing some of its original charm for the sake of giving you a sweeping epic.

Hiccup is all grown up, the vikings are now friends with the dragons, and all is at peace. Until appears on the horizon Drago, the man with the dragon army who wants everything burnt down to ashes cause it is fun. Hiccup is left to deal with him, hypnotized dragons, including his pet who turn on the good people, two very godzilla like monsters fighting, and a reunion with his mother Valka. A lot happens before the good prevails and peace returns, all of it not necessarily good, yet rivettingly entertaining.

Hiccup in this edition is a boy on the cusp of adulthood. While the first part saw him emerge the do gooder with the message of essentiality of being the good one, we see him evolve into a more complex adult whose choices are difficult and to make them he needs to become a better person. The only glitch here is that this transformation and the message inherent are shoddily put across. For most part Hiccup is either talking Rahul Gandhily about talking to Drago to back off, or flying on his dragon in shots that remind you of spectacular roller coasters.

The dragons too are reduced to being pets, marginally redeemed from being complete dog like in their reverance to the human care taker. There are humungously many dragons this time round, as we see them spew fire, and ice, and live in a pandora like magical cave that provides for some of the most visually stunning peices of the film. Apart from the amazingly done swooshing across the skies part that is.

Valka, Hiccups mother is the other scene stealing act here, her equation with Hiccup, their reunion make for the most emotionally invested portions of the story. Sadly, what happens next in the story is not as strong enough, especially the climatic fight. Resultant , we loose the conenct, the charm of little things that tugged at the heart in the first part. Instead what we have are grandiose scenes set to clearly deliver a 3D extravaganza.

Technically the film looks rich and gives a bang for the buck in Imax version. The 3D is beautifull, cleverly accentuating the action and spectacle being attempted at in the film. The voices, especially Cate as the fiesty Valka, are superb and it is easy to fall in love with the ensemble cast we see. Valka's vigilante character in itself is a brilliant addition to the franchise who will most expectedly have an even stronger part to play in the planned thrid edition.

The only complaint though is that there is not enough meat in the story in comparison. The bad guy gets vanquished too easily, both the human kind and especially the dragon kind. The resolutions offered are rushed into towards the end. The central theme of being a better person gets short shrifted somewhere.

There is a lot of fun to be had in HTTYD2. The earlier charm is lessened a bit, but that should not stop you from having a good time. Take the kids along, they would love it too. less