How to Train Your Dragon
Last Easter Sunday, Jet and I went to Church in Pasig and decided to watch a movie in Galleria. We were supposed to see I Love You Philip Morris but since we missed the 3PM screening, saw Clash of the Titans for free (thanks Jori and Warner Bros.), and marveled at Alice in Wonderland already, we settled for the next big thing: How to Train Your Dragon.
I’ve heard that the film doesn’t have a happy ending so for the entire duration of the film, I was waiting for the boy, the dragon, or the village’s leader to die. Well, nobody died but yeah, the film’s ending will make you cringe a little and let out a sad sigh. The ending actually reminded me of my college classmate who got into a car accident sometime last year. I regard the film with high respect. It’s not your usual computer-animated film and personally, I wouldn’t want my future kids to see this. At least not until they are in 5th grade.
STORYLINE
The story is very linear: Hiccup is the son of a Viking Lord and has been regarded as the town’s liability because he always gets himself into trouble. Unlike other young Vikings-to-be, Hiccup doesn’t have the heart to slay a dragon and eventually finds himself as a caretaker and trainer of a young Night Fury who’s missing half of its tail. He gives the dragon the name Toothless.
Hiccup and Toothless are both considered useless in their respective clans because Hiccup couldn’t slay a dragon while Toothless couldn’t fly. But the boy’s strength lies in his ingenuity. As the blacksmith’s apprentice, he crafts devices that enable him to ride and control Toothless’ flight.
Hiccup realizes that everything his people know about dragons was wrong. They are delicate and compassionate creatures too but they raid nearby towns because they need to feed a gigantic monster living within their nest. Hiccup’s knowledge allows him to tame dragons much to the delight of his father and townspeople. But during his last exam in the Dragon Slaying School, they find out that he has been keeping and training a Night Fury. He also makes it clear that he doesn’t want to slay dragons; rather, they can be trained. This angered his father, who set out to destroy the dragon’s nest that Hiccup and his friend found out accidentally.
But his father is wrong and the Vikings come face to face with the gigantic monster that lay inside the dragon’s nest. Everyone would have died, but young Vikings come to the rescue riding the dragons that the Vikings used in Dragon Slaying School. Hiccup rekindles his relationship with his father and sets to slay the big monster while riding Toothless. They successfully defeat the monster but Hiccup falls off the dragon’s back. Toothless tries to save him and the screen fades slowly to black.
The next scene reveals that Toothless was able to save the boy but when he wakes up some time later…well that’s the ending everyone is talking about. You should just watch it on the big screen.
ANIMATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS
The flying scenes are really cool. Although we didn’t get to see the film on 3D, I was still amazed. That’s something to watch out for. And hey, Toothless looks so much like Stitch. :)
OVER ALL
It’s not an awesome film. But it’s not bad either. It’s an “okay” animated film. But like I said, it’s not something you’d want little kids to see. There are lots of biting and sword-slashing involved. Although I didn’t see a drop of blood in the entire duration of the film, it’s very barbaric. What do you expect? They’re Vikings.
But the virtues of courage, pride, friendship and loyalty are all represented there. And that’s good because a lot of teenagers and young adults can relate to the idea of making something out of yourself to make your parents proud.
So there you go. How to Train Your Dragon is pretty okay for weekend movie with the family and it’s worth your mega bucks.
I’ve heard that the film doesn’t have a happy ending so for the entire duration of the film, I was waiting for the boy, the dragon, or the village’s leader to die. Well, nobody died but yeah, the film’s ending will make you cringe a little and let out a sad sigh. The ending actually reminded me of my college classmate who got into a car accident sometime last year. I regard the film with high respect. It’s not your usual computer-animated film and personally, I wouldn’t want my future kids to see this. At least not until they are in 5th grade.
STORYLINE
The story is very linear: Hiccup is the son of a Viking Lord and has been regarded as the town’s liability because he always gets himself into trouble. Unlike other young Vikings-to-be, Hiccup doesn’t have the heart to slay a dragon and eventually finds himself as a caretaker and trainer of a young Night Fury who’s missing half of its tail. He gives the dragon the name Toothless.
Hiccup and Toothless are both considered useless in their respective clans because Hiccup couldn’t slay a dragon while Toothless couldn’t fly. But the boy’s strength lies in his ingenuity. As the blacksmith’s apprentice, he crafts devices that enable him to ride and control Toothless’ flight.
Hiccup realizes that everything his people know about dragons was wrong. They are delicate and compassionate creatures too but they raid nearby towns because they need to feed a gigantic monster living within their nest. Hiccup’s knowledge allows him to tame dragons much to the delight of his father and townspeople. But during his last exam in the Dragon Slaying School, they find out that he has been keeping and training a Night Fury. He also makes it clear that he doesn’t want to slay dragons; rather, they can be trained. This angered his father, who set out to destroy the dragon’s nest that Hiccup and his friend found out accidentally.
But his father is wrong and the Vikings come face to face with the gigantic monster that lay inside the dragon’s nest. Everyone would have died, but young Vikings come to the rescue riding the dragons that the Vikings used in Dragon Slaying School. Hiccup rekindles his relationship with his father and sets to slay the big monster while riding Toothless. They successfully defeat the monster but Hiccup falls off the dragon’s back. Toothless tries to save him and the screen fades slowly to black.
The next scene reveals that Toothless was able to save the boy but when he wakes up some time later…well that’s the ending everyone is talking about. You should just watch it on the big screen.
ANIMATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS
The flying scenes are really cool. Although we didn’t get to see the film on 3D, I was still amazed. That’s something to watch out for. And hey, Toothless looks so much like Stitch. :)
OVER ALL
It’s not an awesome film. But it’s not bad either. It’s an “okay” animated film. But like I said, it’s not something you’d want little kids to see. There are lots of biting and sword-slashing involved. Although I didn’t see a drop of blood in the entire duration of the film, it’s very barbaric. What do you expect? They’re Vikings.
But the virtues of courage, pride, friendship and loyalty are all represented there. And that’s good because a lot of teenagers and young adults can relate to the idea of making something out of yourself to make your parents proud.
So there you go. How to Train Your Dragon is pretty okay for weekend movie with the family and it’s worth your mega bucks.
