Benz Eye View: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Pros: 

1.) I know this is stating the obvious, but the animation is fantastic.  I will leave it with this: the animation is so good, there are times that it almost looks like it is live action, which is most noticeable in the environmental shots.  I did not watch this film in 3D, but I assume that it looks so much better with it.

2.) I found the best moments in the film are with Toothless and the Light Fury.  There is no dialogue; just interactions with two dragons with actions that speak louder than words.  It is a huge contrast with many of the other characters speaking so much.  Sometimes, the visuals are all you need to show how the characters are feeling.

3.) Not going to spoil it, but I do like how the film ends.  It is a satisfying end to the film trilogy and (assumingly) the series as a whole.  It helps these characters grow up into full-grown and mature adults (at least the main characters), and that their hero’s journey comes to an end.

 

Cons: 

1.) The film goes by a little too fast.  The pacing can go by pretty quickly, and it can ruin some scenes.  One scene that is most distracting is the lowest point: Hiccup recovers from the lowest point so quickly, I wondered if he was even worried at all.  The scene before slightly makes up for it due to one plot point, but the fast pacing is noticeable enough that it almost ruins certain scenes.

2.) The film is quite predictable at times.  It was something I had a problem with the previous films as well.  While executed well, if you know storytelling well, you know what is going to happen here.  This is not going to be a problem for everyone; I just expect better with the film series.  Maybe it is not for me, but I do recognize why many people love this film trilogy.

3.) This is not really a big deal, but I wish that Valka, Hiccup’s mom had a bigger role.  In the last film, I loved her so much as a character.  It is just a shame that her role is reduced in this film.  It is still cool that she is still around, I just wish she did more.

 

Overall: 

Based on the book series of the same name, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise has gone through many films, cartoons, short films, and even a couple of video games.  While I only followed the films, it is interesting to see how this series has gone so far.  I barely recall the first film, but I do remember liking it.  The second one I loved even more than the first.  The third one is just as good despite some of its flaws.  The third iteration falls into the same traps as any third installments to a trilogy, but it is still great.  This is great film for families and anyone who has been following the Dragon franchise for a long time, and a great way to end the film trilogy.

8/10