How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon is a 3D animated story about Vikings whose village is seemingly at war with dragons that consistently attack the village. Hiccup, the son of the chieftain, finds himself an outcast due to his inability to fight the dragons. But everything changes when he develops a bond with the deadliest of the dragons – the Night Fury.

The film is a visual spectacle with an intriguing and surprisingly and surprisingly sophisticated plot that never seems to bore. It is filled with extraordinary action sequences elevated by an amazing soundtrack that will almost certainly be stuck in your head (in a good way!) by the end of the film.

Overall, How to Train Your Dragon has everything you’d want in a blockbuster, from exhilarating aerial battles with dragons to moments of genuine emotion, all wrapped in a captivating plot with a heartwarming message of self-discovery. I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to have a good time.

Zain Mothupi

Welcome to Berk: a small island village home to a stubborn clan of Vikings with a rather unique pest control problem. Dragons.

For the burly Vikings, led by Stoik (Gerard Butler), defending their livestock and homes from dragon raids is an everyday task. But when it comes to fighting dragons, Hiccup, the teenage son of Stoik, is more of a hindrance than a help. In an attempt to prove himself, Hiccup determines to kill the most deadly of the dragons- the Night Fury. But after injuring it, he can’t bring himself to finish the job and instead helps the dragon to learn to fly again.

How to Train Your Dragon is DreamWorks Animation at its very best, conveying a message of peace and reconciliation through an entirely new medium. The less-than-likely friendship between Hiccup and Toothless is both hilarious and heart-warming. A thoroughly enjoyable film with an incredible soundtrack, that you’ll be humming for days.

Jess Walker

A Viking boy named Hiccup (Baruchel) lives in Berk, a village that suffers from frequent attacks by the local band of dragons who steal their sheep and torch their buildings. The villagers have learnt to fight back, and Hiccup’s father, Stoick (Butler), is rather disappointed that his son is not a natural-born dragon hunter. To complicate matters, just when Hiccup is signed up for dragon training, he stumbles upon a dragon that will completely alter the relationship between humans and the winged beasts forever.

How to Train Your Dragon is a creative and visually alluring tale that manages to entertain all age groups. The great variety of dragons on display gives the film the tools with which to keep the action fresh, and provides the audience with fun titbits of information on the well-constructed fantasyland. This, coupled with the beautifully animated landscape and the carefully detailed village, gives depth to the world of Berk.

Jay Baruchel gives a warm and likeable quality to the male protagonist, with America Ferrera providing the voice for the determined Astrid, proving that it’s not only the men who can hunt dragons. The band of male teens provides the film with many a comic moment, but it is through the main story that the film excels. As the dragons’ motivations slowly unfurl and Hiccup and Stoick try to work on their relationship, you’ll realise that you have become fully invested in the fate of these characters. Furthermore, Hiccups newfound friend, Toothless, is absolutely adorable and shows an impressive amount of emotion for an animated dragon.

Overall, How to Train Your Dragon has plenty of laughs, even more heart, and an impressive palette of colourful characters and scenery. It is highly recommended to anyone in search of a great story with the visual spectacle to match.

Julia Huntenburg