Thoughts About “How to Train Your Dragon 2” with SPOILERS

It is hard not to write a movie review without revealing spoiler alerts, especially before the film is officially released in the U.S. theaters. Perhaps the only people who should be reading this right now should be the folks who have luckily seen it? Well, you have been warn…

Someone asked me if I thought it was better than Frozen. My response was “Well, I do like dragons, so…yeah” If I can’t get my dragon fix from this season’s Game of Thrones, well, How to Train Your Dragon 2 has a dragon in almost every scene, so take that Khaleesi! Perhaps Valka should take your place as the “Mother of Dragons.”

With sequels, it is very easy to compare it to the original film and say “it wasn’t as good.” Instead of comparing it to the original, I rather compare it to Game of Thrones, Kung Fu Panda, with dashes of The Lion King.

If you are a fan of Game of Thrones and have been keeping up with the current season, you maybe thinking, “Where are the dragons? I want more dragons.” Perhaps the dragons are too expensive to come out, play and show up on people’s TVs and computer screens this season. Besides the fact that there were a variety of dragons everywhere in How To Train Your Dragon 2, the creature that reminded me of Games of Thrones the most was the Alpha. The Alpha is a Bewilderbeast dragon that can control and command all the dragons around. The Alpha is not your typical looking dragon. I would describe it as a colossal mammoth-like creature with hints of triceratops. The Alpha reminded me of the mammoths that came with the Wildings when they went to attack Castle Black at the Wall this season. It is probably a coincidence or a strange comparison, but who knows? Maybe mammoths might be the new “in” creatures?

Now comparing it to Kung Fu Panda, perhaps you are thinking “well, they are both films from DreamWorks and they both are franchises” I went to see the film with my director and she pointed out the father and son relationship that the film focuses on between Hiccup and Stoick. The film takes place 5 years after the first, and Stoick wants Hiccup to step into his shoes as the next chieftain of their village tribe (insert the dashes of The Lion King when Musfasa tells Simba the kingdom will be his one day and Musfasa/Stoick’s sad ending). Perhaps it is just me, but maybe the father and son complicated relationship storyline is a MO that Dreamworks likes. With Kung Fu Panda, it is obvious to see that the goose, Mr. Ping, could not have been Po’s biological father. Mr. Ping and Po had a loving, but complicated relationship where Po aspired to fight with the Furious Five, while his father wanted him to run the family noodle shop; similarly to how Stoick wanted Hiccup to take his place as chieftain in their village.

Both animated films end strongly with the idea of family (insert the “these are family friendly films” thought). Toothless, who is the dragon reflection of Hiccup, has also aged and matured these past few years. It is mentioned a few times how Toothless is probably the last Night Fury around. Perhaps the third film (set for release in 2016) will be about both Hiccup and Toothless trying to fill that family void. Sure, Hiccup is reunited with his long lost mother and sure, both Hiccup and Toothless are the new leaders of their viking and dragon clans; but is that enough? Maybe the next chapter will be about Hiccup and Toothless’ journey to try to find the other Night Furies (like how Kung Fu Panda 2 ended with the shot of the pandas). If they find other Night Furies, will they accept Toothless and Hiccup’s relationship?

I can go more in depth and come out with a 10 page analysis paper about this, but I rather bring up thoughts, opinions, and conspiracy theories and have you use that brain of yours to think, observe, and analyze. If all you wanted to know was if I would recommend this film? I say, sure…why not? There are dragons in it.