How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World Movie Review

by Michele Ho

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After nine years since the first movie was released, Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the writer and director of How to Train Your Dragon once again impressed the audience with their creativity and intelligence in wrapping up the trilogy in a perfect manner. Neither too much nor too little, the new released trilogy-capper How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World fit just perfectly as the finale.

Similar to other successful movies such a Spiderman 3, War for The Planet of The Apes, and Toy Story 3, a resolution in the final chapter of the trilogy will be presented in the way where the characters had gone through the process of growing up and came upon the need of letting go.

How to Train Your Dragon first released was a success because of its rich themes and beautiful graphics used in the movie. The compilation of family love, loyalty, friendship and remarkable cinematography in the movie played an important role in bringing success to the movie and now the new trilogy-capper How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World brought up another interesting theme about the love between the male and female dragon. It became one of the spotlights of the movie where Toothless, the Night Fury (the black-coloured dragon), met its female partner, the Light Fury. However, this is also the point where Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) realized that it is time for him to set Toothless free and learns that his worthiness does not depends only on Toothless.

The movie begins by showing the life of the Vikings living in the Isle of Berk, continuing to save more dragons after the death of Hiccup’s father, Stoick the Vast (Gerald Butler). Hiccup, the chief of the town once again falls under the threat of a dragon hunter, Grimmel the Grisly (F. Murray Abraham) who wants to take over the dragons as well as hunting down the remaining Night Furies and with Toothless being the alpha, he became the first target. Due to these circumstances, Hiccup went on to search for the “Hidden World” which serves as a safe haven to the dragons.

The plot moves gradually to a climax and reaches a denouement in a well-organized manner. By having both Hiccup and Toothless dealing with their relationships, it makes the movie more interesting as Hiccup tries to settle down with Astrid (America Ferrera) while Toothless began his courtship. This topic about love relationship is popular among the younger generation and by adding in the overloading cuteness of Toothless dancing and doing funny actions in order to woo the Light Fury, the film increases its popularities among children because most audience who watches animation loves it when the characters tend to be cute.

In terms of cinematography, it is technically and visually stunning. I would say that DreamWorks Animations put in a lot of efforts in making such breathtaking graphic effects for the whole production. They brightened up the characters as well as the dragons in this animation world when they professionally create an amazingly detailed effect which includes the efforts put into the blending of attractive colours in the lighting and background scenery effect. It made them look lively enough. The dragons were shown in an animated manner but their flying actions, the fighting scenes, the characters movements as well as the sceneries throughout the whole movie were spectacular.

However, there is always shortcomings in everything because ‘nothing is perfect’. In How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, the film lacks the suspense and action scenes that we got from the first two prequels as it focuses more on the search of identity by both Hiccup and Toothless. This might kill the joy for some of the audience that expect more action and fighting scenes. Even though it is endlessly impressive, it is never going to be as authentic, unique, heart-warming and memorable as the time when Hiccup first connect to Toothless and how their relationship gradually cherished through the first movie.

Nevertheless, viewing the movie as a whole, it is not at all disappointing. It is still worth watching the movie in cinema because of its astounding cinematography and the story line were well-written. The ending tied up all the loose ends perfectly by having a glimpse of Hiccup’s future life where he brought his children with Astrid to find Toothless. Toothless is then shown accompanied by the Light Fury with their baby dragons. Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois beautifully brought out the message addressing the idea that mankind can co-exist harmoniously with one another as well as with dragons being free to live their own lives.