I remember the night vividly. It was supposed to be a casual dinner and movie date with my soon-to-be wife. We hadn’t even decided on the film until we arrived at the theater. Serendipity struck when we saw “How To Train Your Dragon 2” was playing for its Thursday night preview. Completely forgetting it was releasing on Friday, we were both thrilled and instantly chose it. I anticipated a good movie, nothing more.
What I experienced was far beyond expectation. I walked out utterly speechless.
Rarely does a sequel not just meet but exceed the original, yet “How To Train Your Dragon 2” achieves this and more. It’s not just a step up; it’s a breathtaking leap forward.
The film’s score is, without exaggeration, one of the most impactful I’ve heard in years. The music perfectly underscores every emotional beat and thrilling flight. The narrative itself expands the world in ways that feel organic and necessary, a testament to masterful storytelling. But where “How To Train Your Dragon 2” truly shines is in its character relationships, most notably the unparalleled bond between Toothless and Hiccup.
In all my years of watching films, television, and reading books, I’ve never encountered a friendship as profoundly moving and believable as Hiccup and Toothless’. The depth and nuance of their relationship is groundbreaking. It’s simply unparalleled in cinematic history.
The core story is deceptively simple, a concise tale brimming with heart. You can sense the writer’s passion for this world and these characters, and that love translates into every frame. The antagonist is genuinely menacing, the characters face real and impactful consequences, and the film’s climax is emotionally devastating in the most powerful way.
I have absolutely no reservations, no complaints whatsoever. There is not a single aspect of this film I would alter. Not one thing.
My only hope now is that they’ve saved the best for the finale, because I honestly struggle to imagine how they could possibly surpass this masterpiece of animation and storytelling in “How to Train Your Dragon 2”.
