How to Train Your Dragon became an unexpected smash in 2010, in large part because it had such a unique look. The sequel, directed by Dean DeBlois (who co-directed the original with Chris Sanders ), maintains the visual panache of the first movie, but it would have been as much fun to actually watch as it is to look at if the filmmakers had spent more time on the screenplay. Jay Baruchel returns as the voice of the now 20-year-old Hiccup, who is resisting the efforts of his father Stoick (Gerard Butler ) to get him to take over as leader of the Vikings who populate Berk, a place where dragons and humans peacefully coexist. When Hiccup discovers that the evil Drago (Djimon Hounsou ) is amassing a dragon army in order to attack Berk, the idealistic young man attempts to find a diplomatic solution. Stoick insists that Drago is impossible to reason with, but that doesn't stop Hiccup from setting off on his mission. Along the way, he encounters Valka (Cate Blanchett ), his long-lost mother who left Berk when he was just a baby. She has spent the last 20 years creating a dragon sanctuary by using her natural ability to tame the fire-breathing beasts -- a skill that Hiccup has inherited. Stoick soon finds both of them, and the clan enjoys a tender reconciliation. However, their warm family time is cut short when Drago arrives with an alpha dragon under his control. Alpha dragons can impose their will on other beasts, and soon Hiccup's best mate and loyal dragon Toothless is attacking him, his family, and all of the other Vikings. As with the first entry in the series, the visuals here are absolutely marvelous. Ace cinematographer Roger Deakins (working here as a consultant) helps deliver a darker palate than we expect from family-friendly animated films, and instead of looking muddy, the images have a Rembrandt-like quality to them -- even when the viewer is wearing 3D glasses. The story for How to Train Your Dragon 2 How to Train Your Dragon 2
All Movie Guide - Perry Seibert
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