How to train your dragon

25.03.2010

Film trailer:

The Vikings on the island of Berk must constantly fight hordes of dragons. Hiccup, a Viking teenager, does not fit in with the others. He will not slay dragons. This is an exciting and at times very dramatic film suitable for children from 9 years.

Plot
On the Island of Berk, a small Viking community has lived for generations. But life is not easy. The Vikings are constantly attacked by dragons that steal their sheep and their fish, and fighting the deadly beasts has become a way of life.

Hiccup’s father is the proud dragon slayer Stoick the Vast. Hiccup would like to be as great a warrior as his father, but all his enthusiastic efforts to defeat a dragon always end with disaster. Stoick frequently expresses dismay over his son’s failure to live up to his expectations.

Then, one night something happens. In the middle of a dragon attack Hiccup sneaks out with a catapult. Suddenly, he catches a glimpse of the scariest dragon of them all – Night Fury – and he fires off a shot. Hiccup hits his prey, but of course no one believes him.

The next day, Hiccup walks around in the woods, and soon he stumbles upon Night Fury, who is caught in the net from the catapult. Hiccup raises his knife to kill the dragon, but changes his mind. Instead, he sets the dragon free.

This is the start of an unusual friendship. The boy and the dragon gradually gains trust in each other, and Hiccup makes a prosthesis to replace a tail wing that Night Fury lost in the crash. However, the dragon depends on someone controlling the prosthesis in order to fly properly. Hiccup climbs up on the back of the dragon, and soon the two become a good flight team. At the same time Hiccup learns a lot about dragons, and this knowledge enables him to fight dragons without violence and make them his friends.

Still, the adventure has only just begun. What will Stoick the Vast and the other Vikings say when they realise that Hiccup has trained a dragon? And what will happen when they are told that Hiccup and Night Fury has found the home of the dragons and uncovered a cruel and terribly dangerous threat?

Quality and Theme
”How to train your dragon” is a fast-paced and well-made animated film, which contains all the elements we expect in an action-adventure – exciting battles, a great fairy tale world, a lot of humour and some romance. But even if the film has all the right ingredients, there is still something missing. The story is far from original – there have been a number of films telling approximately the same story as this one. In addition, the long series of fast-paced scenes result in that we never get a deep understanding of the central characters. It is all a bit superficial, with flat characters and a predictable story.

On the other hand, this is a fun and entertaining film that a large audience surely will enjoy. Early on, Hiccup understands that the dragons are just as afraid of him as he is of them, and with kindness and generosity the young boy makes his former enemies into friends. At the same time he realises that everything the Vikings have learned about dragons is wrong. Dragons aren’t deadly creatures that must be killed at all costs. On the contrary, it appears that they are in an equally difficult situation as the Vikings. Such an attitude, where distrust and fear has been replaced with courtesy and sympathy, serves as a good example for children and young people to follow. The film also promotes the value of cooperation and the importance of being yourself.

Suitability
“How to train your dragon” has a “PG” rating, and in our opinion this film is not suited for children under 9 years of age. There are several dramatic scenes in the film, with a number of scary dragons breathing fire and acting threateningly. The climax consists of a very dramatic and long battle scene. For this reason, parents should be aware that the film can be a bit too scary for children under 9 years.

Conclusion
For children from 9 years this film is a fast-paced and fun adventure, and even though the film has some shortcomings, there are still more than enough excitement and humour to entertain a large audience.

Directors: Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation Voices: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera , Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Ashley Jensen, David Tennant and more Nationality: USA Production Company: DreamWorks Animation Length: 1h 38mins Production Year: 2010 Age Limit: PG Suitability: Family BBFC’s Consumer Advice: Contains frequent mild threat.