Simply put, this movie was everything a sequel should be, and more. It not only built on the universe that the first movie had introduced, but it did so without contradicting or otherwise ruining what came before. And it wasn't just the fictional world that got expanded; in terms of story, graphics, and emotional depth, this movie clearly took everything that was good about its predecessor and improved on them. One of the things I liked most about this film was that it visibly matured, as if alongside the fans and viewers of the first one. Unlike most animated sequels (that I've seen), the characters in this actually aged physically; think about that. Instead of the film makers merely telling us that it's been 5 years later, we actually get to see the evidence that shows us it's been 5 years since the original movie. Besides graphically, the film has also matured in terms of emotional content.
When the first movie came out, it had a fun-and-games kind of atmosphere to it. Of course, there were moments when things got a little serious, but overall it was a happy little story. The second movie kept the same kind of silly funness, but it also added a more mature tone to the franchise. On more occasions than one, I found myself getting teary-eyed during the movie, and let me tell you, I don't tear up easily. And by not easily, I mean it doesn't happen for years at a time, so that's a clue as to how much the sequel has evolved emotionally. Jeffrey doesn't quite agree with me on this, as it didn't draw up a lot of strong emotions from him (though that didn't make it any less enjoyable for him). I suppose some of the 'emotional' scenes were pretty standard stuff, but something about them touched me in ways that most movies haven't in a long while.
One of the things I found the film to be weak in was character development. The main character and a few prominent ones underwent enough change, but most of the supporting cast, including the main character's girlfriend, didn't really have anything going for them aside from the roles they were given in the first film. In their defense, Jeffrey says that the events in the film did not garner character growth from the side characters, so fair enough. I guess when I said character development I also meant character depth; a lot of these characters seem to be a bit one-dimensional, with one or two traits defining their whole identity. The real lack of development though, was actually with the villain. His back-story was vague and his motives were so forgettable that we're already having trouble recalling them. His powers/abilities went largely unexplained in the film (though the film's official website explains some things, that's really not good enough).
The other thing that was a little weak was the final battle. The way that the hero resolved the conflict was so cliché that we saw it coming a mile away. But given that it was cliché, I think the film makers did a good job with the actual execution of that scene.
One last thing deserves mention. The voice acting in this film was as superb as if not more so than the first one. The voices of the actors really brought the characters to life, and it made what could have been a good film into a great one.
So there you have it. How to Train Your Dragon 2 was a fun, enjoyable film that stayed true to its predecessor but also improved from it in quite a few ways. Jeffrey also found this film to be thoroughly entertaining, but doesn't see it as an improvement from the first one. As far as sequels go, this one is probably one of my top ten, and definitely top five for animated sequels.
I loved this movie! And what's better, my 5 year old son loved this movie, which means it stood up to its true test. I was also very impressed with the aging of the characters. It's something you almost never see in animation.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the villain. I kinda hated his backstory as it was pretty run-of-the-mill. Nothing terribly inventive or defining there. Just, Arch Bad Guy Von Bad Guy.
But all in all, the movie had emotional impact (I teared up, and my son was having some serious concern) and was a fun action packed ride. Thanks for the review!
I'm glad to hear that your little boy enjoyed the movie, that certainly means they're doing something right. It really was a shame about the villain, but thankfully it was the only major 'hiccup' in an otherwise great film. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteI haven't seen either of these movies (I have no little ones at home), but enjoyed your review.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Shauna! Even without little ones at home, I still highly recommend you to watch the two films. Their level of story-telling is quite hard to find nowadays, especially for animations. Have a nice day!
DeleteI agree with your remarks on the last battle. Though I really enjoyed the film and agree it to be a worthy successor to the original, the last battle was implausible. Sure, Toothless is great, but I didn't think he would be all powerful.
ReplyDeleteOh, Keith, how about a little review of Toothless' character? :)
Toothless was definitely impossibly strong during that fight, but I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the film nonetheless. As for a Toothless character review, I've never actually thought about reviewing specific characters, but I maybe I'll give it a try sometime. Thanks for commenting!
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