"How to Train Your Dragon" - REVIEW

I know I'm late. I know I'm really late, as a matter of fact. But alas, it's happened: I've jumped fully on the How to Train Your Dragon bandwagon. It might be hard, but I'm going to try and keep this quick. What struck me most was the shift in writing on this particular Dreamworks release (perhaps due to the fact that it's based on a book?). The studio's formula of cramming as many pop-culture jokes into a scene has been abandoned in favor of something surprisingly adult. The attempts at humor aren't forced or obvious, and even though it sometimes (mildly) backfires, this step towards maturity is an encouraging one. The protagonist, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), is your typical I-don't-fit-into-my-society-the-way-my-father-wants-me-to misfit, but the screenplay, by focusing almost solely on him, gives him a greater sense of depth, even if Baruchel's voice sometimes grates on the ears. That the other half of the central duo only communicates in grunts, growls, and purrs, only adds to the effectiveness. The design of the central dragon, Toothless, is part salamander, part cat, and the creature is given so much personality in his (her?) movements and facial expressions, that it doesn't take long to feel the bond between boy and dragon. And when the two finally join forces, after a surprisingly long build-up, and take flight for the first time, it's nothing short of exhilarating. I'm not even sure if the 3D added that much, but the placement of the "camera" is spectacular (not so surprising once I learned that Roger Deakins was the film's visual consultant). Coupled with John Powell's soaring score, it's the big flight sequences that take the film one step above what it could have been. The problem, unfortunately, lies in certain elements of the script. The story is familiar, but it's nicely told with enough detail to give this world a sense of life. That said, secondary and tertiary characters tend to get screwed over in the development department. Astrid (America Ferrera), Hiccup's romantic interest of sorts, changes her views on dragons in a heartbeat, and then shows up toward the end just to motivate Hiccup into doing what he needs to do to arrive at the film's climax. Others, like Kristen Wiig and Jonah Hill, are totally one-note. Gerard Butler manages to do a nice job as Hiccup's stern father, however, as he's given more to do and has more one-on-one interaction with Hiccup. So while How to Train Your Dragon may not quite be up to the Pixar standard in every department, when it soars, it stands (or rather, flies) up there with the best of them.

PS: I want my own Toothless. Seriously.

lol wut

Grade: B/B+