How to Train Your Dragon

DreamWorks Animation has definitely proven that it’s not a flash in the pan, ultimately establishing itself as Pixar’s main competitor.  With How to Train Your Dragon, nominated for a Best Animated Oscar, they’ve successfully created another impressive universe full of strong, funny, and relatable characters.

Synopsis: a young Viking, derided by everyone for his lack of physical prowess, is determined to fit in.  His main problem is that his people are dragon slayers, while he can’t bring himself to kill them.  Instead, he spares the life and starts caring for a Night Fury, one of the fiercest known dragons, who ends up befriending him.

Both the human and dragon characters are incredibly well “fleshed” out, and the animators seem to have gone to great lengths to create a whole plethora of differing species of dragons, each with their own physical and behavioral peculiarities.

The animation is splendid and well deserving of the Oscar nomination.  The voiceovers are good and the screenplay is nicely written and manages to come up with a fully original concept that is a breath of fresh air in a marketplace overcrowded with remakes and retellings.

I do agree with my friend Vittorio when he says that Toothless’ appearance is strikingly similar to Disney’s Stitch, from Lilo & Stitch, which is clearly the result of having the same two directors in common.  I also agree with his excited review about How to Train Your Dragon’s impressive visuals, witty screenplay, and soaring score, but I sincerely hope that Toy Story 3 will prevail in the animation field at the upcoming Oscar ceremony.

Grade: 9