I know this animated film had its faults, including an unrealistic setting and the same father/son dynamic issues that have plagued child faire for who knows how long, but you have to take that in stride. Yes, the Vikings are Scottish, which is ridiculous, but obviously this isn't a real world, as there is a swarm of
dragons running around breathing fire and burning down the village. For what it was, it was pretty original, heartwarming, and unbelievably family friendly while still retaining comedy that works for all ages. It's a fantasy story with an original twist, and superb execution, which everyone takes for granted. The story is handled well, the singular hero is an awkward teen overcoming his father, but at the same time he's a brave individual who always has had the values, hopes and dreams of an exceptional person, so though he's seen as weak by the surrounding characters, we the audience always empathize with his plight. DreamWorks is guilty of making disgustingly unoriginal films, starting with the enjoyable and yet bitter Shrek, a film that satirized Disney after DreamWorks' head Jeff Katzenberg was fired from Disney's studios. They went on to make films that mirrored Pixar's but cheaper and less impressive, though recently they have been veering away from giant franchises like Shrek or crap like Over the Hedge and Flushed Away. Nowadays they're turning out hits like Kung Fu Panda and this amazing film. This is up and beyond from anything else they have previously done and it's actually unlike a lot of children films. It doesn't talk down to children, only engages their sense of wonder and astonishment. They can see themselves doing this, living this magical journey, and really that's the kind of films studios should be making, instead of edgy, adult films that stink up the box office and lead to studio's financial slumps. How to Train Your Dragon, though odd to make a sequel, is really the family film we have all been holding our breath for.
August 3, 2010
Top Critic
