How to Train Your Dragon

Movie Title--  How to Train Your Dragon

Release Year--  2010

Running Time--  1 Hour and 38 Minutes

Director--  Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders

Cast--  Jay Baruchel, Craig Ferguson, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, Kieron Elliott

A scrawny  young Viking boy aspires to hunt and kill dragons but after becoming friends with an injured young dragon he starts to realize there is more to these creatures than his community thinks.

On the island of Berk lies a Viking village that is under constant attack by dragons that steal their livestock.  While the town is under siege, the entire town works together to ward off the attack, led by Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler) the town Chieftian.  Stoick's biggest embarrassment is his young son Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), a scrawny boy that doesn't have the strength to wield the usual Viking weapons.  Hiccup apprentices with Gobber (Craig Ferguson) the blacksmith and during one particular night raid, Hiccup believes that he has shot down a Night Fury, the hardest dragon there is to hit and the one the town knows the most about.

The next day, Hiccup goes in search of the dragon and finds him trapped in his bolas.  Hiccup knows that if he kills this dragon, he can prove to the community that he has what it takes to hunt dragons.  After some hesitation, Hiccup finds that he can not kill the dragon and instead cuts his ropes, seting the dragon free.  The dragon then roars and flees into the forest.  

While Hiccup is in the forest, Stoick is telling Gobber that he is organizing some men to go out on an expedition to find the dragon's nest.  Gobber then tells Stoick that while he is away, Hiccup should join the class of young Vikings that are being taught to fight dragons.  Stoick at first doesn't think it is a good idea but after Gobber starts persaude him, he changes his mind.  Hiccup arrives home ready but reluctant to tell his father that he feels like he can not kill a dragon but his father tells him that he is to join the class that is to learn how to fight dragons.  

The first day of class, Hiccup, along with Snotlout (Jonah Hill), Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), Tuffnut (T.J. Miller), Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig) and Astrid (American Ferrera) are told that who ever excelled the most in the class would kill their first dragon once their training was done.  It becomes obvious from the beginning that Astrid is going to be the Viking to beat.

Concerned about the Night Fury, Hiccup goes into the forest in search of him.  He finds the Night Fury trapped in a glade, desperately trying to escape.  Hiccup notices that the dragon is having a hard time obtaining food and begins fishing for him.  He gains the dragon's trust and very quickly begins to love this creature and begin caring for it.  He names the dragon "Toothless" because it has retractable teeth.  He also notices that Toothless' tale has been damaged and Hiccup then creates a prosthetic for him.  

Hiccup then learns that Toothless needs a little assistance with the prosthetic and designs a harness that he can wear in order to ride Toothless and help him steer.  Hiccup takes the knowledge about dragons that he is learning by helping Toothless back with him to class and he very quickly rises up the ranks to the best student in the class.  Feeling jealous and suspicious, Astrid follows Hiccup one day and discovers that he has been taking care of a dragon.  

Toothless feels threatened when she shows up and he takes off with Hiccup trying to catch up with him.  Before Astrid can go and tell the village, Hiccup takes her along for a ride.  Toothless then senses something unknown to Hiccup and Astrid and soon they find themselves flying with a huge group of dragons.  Toothless lands inside a large cave and the two kids realize that Toothless has brought them to the dragon's nest and that the livestock the dragons steal are being brought to feed the gigantic dragon that commands them all.  The two of them race back to the village where Hiccup tells Astrid not to saying anything about the dragon's nest because he doesn't want Toothless to be discovered.

This film is adorable.  I don't remember the reason I didn't see this film when it first came out but now that I have a small child, I have finally had the pleasure of seeing this film.  I won't lie, there are a few instances where Jay Baruchel's (Hiccup) voice would grate my nerves a little bit but aside from that, it really was great.

The relationship between Hiccup and Toothless is charming and wonderful.  It really helps to portray the human/animal relationship as a true friendship in a way that a child (or adult) can understand and relate to, making the experience that much better for the viewer.

I give this film two huge thumbs up for story and creativity and would recommend this film to anyone looking for something to sit down and view with their kids, of any age.  Gather the family together for an action packed movie night and Don't Forget the Popcorn!