How to Train Your Dragon 2 - film review

Hiccup is back for some flaming good fun in this CGI Viking epic, where he becomes the target of a rasta-haired baddie
Fly me: best friends Hiccup and Toothless

As sequels go, this CGI Viking epic from DreamWorks, adapted from Cressida Cowell’s witty novels, lacks the originality and daring of, say, Toy Story 2.

Hero Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is now an older teen. While doing some soul-searching, he becomes the target of a rasta-haired baddie. Said baddie is extremely lacklustre. We also have to endure some tedious speechifying about personal responsibility plus a dodgy vocal performance from Cate Blanchett, who is meant to be Scottish. Possibly.

Blanchett, ever the over-achiever, speaks with a slightly different accent in every scene. Less is more, Cate, less is more. Presumably director/writer Dean DeBlois couldn’t be bothered to kick up a fuss. After all, Hiccup and his peers talk like American slackers. Whatever, dude.

Still, the film does showcase the sweetest dragon on the block. Toothless, Hiccup’s best friend, is a wide-eyed creature who resembles every cute/smart puppy and kitten you’ve ever wanted to nuzzle.

HTTYD2 also keeps the memory of cartoon character Mona Simpson alive (to say more would be to spoil a key twist). And two new “alpha” dragons suggest the film-makers are big fans of Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke — the flying and fighting are gorgeously choreographed.

As for Hiccup, he and his Oscar Pistorius-style leg cover a fair bit of new ground. The characters in this movie are charmers. They’ve got me so well-trained, I’m even looking forward to HTTYD3.

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