Bat America

It is a must watch for those who wish to stray from the generic Dream works formula. The main characters are exceptionally charming, and Toothless is excellent comic relief. While the film falls short with side character involvement or real memorability, it barely affects most viewers. I remember watching this in 3D as a young child, astonished by such vibrant imagery however, that isn't what keeps me coming back. While the animation and jokes are well done, what keeps me coming back is Hiccup's relationship with Toothless. It has a timeless value like Lassie and Timmy. Whenever this pair is on screen, the writing is at its peak. The opening scene (which I won't spoil) should show anyone what on screen chemistry should be in children's programming. It particularly benefits from slapstick as pose to crude humor such as Shrek, Shrek 2, The Croods, etc. While I like that film, How to Train Your Dragon wouldn't flow the same way without universal humor for all ages. The antagonist is a clever commentary on those who rely too much on fear for their goals. Certain character depth is surprisingly complex for a Dream works picture! While How to Train Your Dragon 2 is interesting, it relies more on this film that it's own identity. These sequels are impressive, don't get the wrong idea; but like many franchises the original won't be topped. My Rating 3.5 out of 4.