Review: How to Train Your Dragon 2

Review: How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

Director: Dean Deblois

Principal Cast Members: Jay Baurchel, Gerard Butler and Cate Blanchett

Since it's early successes Dreamworks Animation has often felt like Disney and Pixars poor cousin, but with How to Train Your Dragon it looked like the studio could finally have it's way of breaking back into the mainstream. But rather then completely play it safe and give us a rerun of the first film, the second takes a few risks along the way. In an almost unheard of move for an animated film the characters have been noticeably aged up, a move which helps to give a little extra weight to the films narrative of growing up. In fact in many ways this feels more like an adult animation film that can also be enjoyed by children. Said animation is so strong that when watching the film you could almost be forgiven for thinking that some of the animated characters were real such is the detail put into getting every little movement right. A cleverly chosen voice cast helps to give the characters heart and also allows the audience to become more invested in the human relationships seen on screen. However the real star of the show still remains Toothless, who is still as incredibly adorable as he was the last time we met him and through the skill of animators can portray almost any emotions through his big puppy dog eyes. The sequel is not without it's little flaws but the way it mixes family drama with the huge action set pieces is hugely admirable and promises that maybe Dreamworks are ready come of the woodwork again and fulfill the potential that it suggested to us with the early Shrek films. Hopefully this will be with the How to Train Your Dragon series right at the centre and judging from what director Dean Deblois has had to say about the future part 3 could be the bravest yet.