Reviewed: How to Train Your Dragon 2

In How to Train Your Dragon 2 time has moved on in the village of Berk and Hiccup the Viking Kings son is now a young man of twenty. The Vikings and Dragons are now living together in peace and harmony thanks to Hiccup’s intervention when he shot the mysterious ‘Night Fury’ Dragon out of the sky and ended up being best friends forever. The film demonstrates this union from the very start of the story with the bunch of young Vikings taking part in a tournament not unlike Quidditch but instead of broomsticks they fly on Dragons and instead of the golden snitch they have to capture sheep that are propelled into the air. The only person missing from the game is Hiccup.

Hiccup has taken upon himself to explore the surrounding land where the Vikings live and with the help of Toothless he maps out the region for clan Clan. He is still romantically attached to Astrid (Ugly Betty’s America Ferrera) and while out scouting together on their dragons the pair come across a band of dragon hunters who capture Astrid’s ride. Hiccup and Astrid confront the leader of the hunters Eret (voiced by Kit Harrington from Game of Thrones…’You know nothing John Snow’) and he tells them that they are hunting the creatures for a feared warrior called Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou) who is building a dragon army.

They mistake Hiccup for the mysterious Dragon Rider who has been setting free the hunters dragons. But the couple escape and Hiccup tells his Father, Stoick (Gerard Butler) about Drago and his plan and Stoick reveals that he has crossed swords with Drago in the past and warns the village that they must prepare for all-out war.

This follow up is much darker and scarier than the first film and we get to find out more of a backstory to hiccup and his Dad. Once again there is a fantastic all-star cast voicing the characters. Hiccups young friends are like a ‘who’s who’ of current young actors making movies at the moment, Astrid (America Ferrera), Snotlout (Jonah Hill), Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), Ruffnot (Kristen Wiig). And of course we have the return of Gerard Butler as the rough tough Stoick and Craig Ferguson as his side-kick and old friend Gobber. This time they are also joined by Cate Blanchett (Valka Dragon Rider) who has a very odd part Scottish part Polish accent, Kit Harrington, a good choice considering the popularity of Game of Thrones although he does have a strong cockney accent in this film, that’s how the American audience know his a baddie. But one of my favourite characters in ‘2’ is Drago voiced by Djimon Hounsou (Gladiator, The Island and Blood Diamond) he makes a terrific animated villain with no redeeming features at all.

Jay Baruchel seemed an odd choice for Hiccup at first considering that many of his previous roles have been in adult comedies with the likes of Knocked Up, This is the End and Tropic Thunder. However, I really think he suits the part and he has made Hiccup a very likeable character but I’m not sure why he has an American accent when all of the older Vikings have Scottish accents. I think at one point I heard Gerard Butler’s Viking Chief say “This is Therker!”
Then again they should all have a Danish twang surely?

I really enjoyed this film. I particularly liked the fact that both Hiccup and Toothless have a similar physical disability and how this is overcome by Hiccups ability to compensate by designing artificial aids. He also has some other nifty gadgets up his sleeve.

Look out for HTTYD 3 due out in 2016.

A Foker On Film massive Four out of Five stars.
FOF will also be running a competition at the end of the week to WIN HTTYD 2 exclusive Movie Merchandise.