“How to Train Your Dragon”
DreamWorks
Starring: Gerard Butler and Jay… “How to Train Your Dragon”
DreamWorks
Starring: Gerard Butler and Jay Baruchel
B+
It’s a good thing that my best friend from second grade and I went to the late showing of “How to Train Your Dragon,” because we giggled like 8-year-olds throughout the entire thing.
If there had been anyone in the theater other than a few other weirdos, we would have been embarrassed by our childlike enthusiasm.
DreamWorks’ latest computer-animated film, “How to Train Your Dragon,” is pretty much everything an animated movie should be — cute, funny, suitable for all ages and decked out with impressive animation, fun characters and a clever storyline.
The movie follows Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), a scrawny young boy who can’t seem to earn the approval of his peers or his colossal dragon-fighting dad, Stoick (voiced by Gerard Butler). In an effort to gain Viking street cred, Hiccup decides to hunt himself a dragon.
But when he hits a “Night Fury” — one of the rarest and most dangerous dragons — the dragon meant to be his prey becomes his playmate, and the two form an unusual friendship.
The movie’s appeal is obvious — any film involving dragons and Vikings is probably going to be a winner — but “How to Train Your Dragon” outdoes itself with great animation, solid writing and very likable characters — including an adorable (but slightly scary) dragon with oddly puppy-like qualities.
In truth, “How to Train Your Dragon’s” success isn’t surprising. It follows a familiar formula of cute and slightly awkward characters, loveable animals, heartwarming scenes and a moral-filled message at the end.
But it’s a formula that works, and “How to Train Your Dragon” executes it wonderfully.
Where can you pet a baby goat, enter a “best tomato” contest, stomp grapes into…
In this edition of Fully Booked, staff writer Evin Verbrugge discusses being in a reading…
In this edition of Long Story Short, digital editor Emma Hannan talks about auditioning and…
Students involved in voter turnout efforts share stories and favorite parts of the job.
Far and away, Pitt women’s volleyball’s biggest game of the season so far is this…
Figure skating has long been known as an expensive and often inaccessible sport, and Pitt's…