Warning: Minorfollow (although nothing that hasn't already been shown in the trailers).

DreamWorks and writer-director Dean DeBlois' How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a prime example of how to do a sequel right. Building on all the best parts of the original How to Train Your Dragon, this animated followup doesn't take its franchise lightly. Rather, it bravely marches into new territory (sometimes literally), while still creating a story that focuses on its main characters. In addition to taking its world-building to the next level, How to Train Your Dragon 2 also taps into its rich franchise potential, setting itself up for future installments.

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Set five years after the first film, How to Train Your Dragon 2 boldly ages its characters from teenagers to young adults. Our hero Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), now 20 years old, has picked up a lot of new tricks since we last saw him, and he's acquired a slick new arsenal that includes a custom wing suit, a duel-purpose prosthetic leg and, most notably, a telescoping fire sword (!).Now less Harry Potter and more Luke Skywalker, the older Hiccup is a natural adventurer, always on the lookout for new and exciting places to go. As Hiccup puts it in the movie, "With Vikings on the backs of dragons, the world just got a whole lot bigger." However, Hiccup's father Stoick (Gerard Butler) has nobler plans for his son and hopes that Hiccup will take his place as Berk's Chief.

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Naturally, this idea doesn't sit too well with Hiccup, who's still keen on stretching his legs (and wings) with his best dragon pal Toothless. Like in the first movie, the friendship between Hiccup and Toothless plays a big part in the sequel, and their bond only strengthens over the course of the film. Likewise, their two journeys often intersect and mirror each other, both narratively and visually.Meanwhile, Hiccup's posse has also adjusted to life with dragon pets, and they've even invented a new sport called Dragon Racing -- basically the Berk equivalent to Quidditch, with dragons in place of broomsticks and sheep as the "Golden Snitches." Hiccup's girlfriend Astrid (America Ferrara) once again shines in the sequel and comes into her own as sort of the group's proxy leader. The film also boasts plenty of humor, thanks to characters like Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig), Tuffnut (T.J. Miller), Snotlout (Jonah Hill) and Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), as well as Berk's ever chipper blacksmith Gobber (Craig Ferguson).

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On the newcomer front, How to Train Your Dragon 2 introduces Eret, Son of Eret (voiced by Game of Thrones' Kit Harrington), a dragon trapper and dashing rogue-type that butts heads with Hiccup and his crew. There's also the main villain, Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou), who, while markedly badass in the looks department, is probably the one weak link in the character roster. It's not so much that he's not intimidating -- in fact, he's downright menacing -- he's just not quite as interesting as the other characters. For one, his backstory is pretty forgettable, and his hellbent desire to conquer the world feels ripped from the pages of Bad Guys 101. (That said, his dragon-skin cloak and dreadlocks are pretty rad.)Perhaps the most notable addition to the cast is Hiccup's mother Valka (Cate Blanchett), who actually plays a central role in Hiccup's fight against Drago. Without spoiling too much, let's just say that Hiccup gets his wild streak from his mom. Valka also shares several great scenes with her husband Stoick, a subplot that not only fleshes out both of those characters, but also maximizes the emotional weight of the film.

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Going off that, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a sequel that ages with its original audience. While it's still obviously a family movie at heart, it also kind of feels like the Empire Strikes Back of the series: It's slightly darker, the stakes are higher and the characters' actions have real consequences. As a result, it's a much bigger film than How to Train Your Dragon, but in a way that still provides character growth.It also probably goes without saying that How to Train Your Dragon 2 looks incredible. Even just compared to the first film, it's amazing how much the animation has improved, especially with the human characters. One scene between Hiccup and Astrid stands out in particular for Astrid's uncanny imitation of Hiccup, an animated sequence that feels more innately "human" than any other in recent memory. That's not to mention the breathtaking art design, which goes far beyond the handful of environments featured in the first film. These are then made even more immersive by the stunning 3D.I would also be remiss not to mention the film's soundtrack, scored once again by composer John Powell. It may come as no surprise that his latest Dragon soundtrack is just as epic as the first. However, it also doesn't go overboard with the fanfare and only kicks into high gear when the moment calls for it. Not unlike How to Train Your Dragon's soundtrack, Powell's newest entry is one you'll be hankering to download as soon as you leave the theater. It's definitely one of the film's major highlights.

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Now, is How to Train Your Dragon 2 better than How to Train Your Dragon? Not necessarily. In some respects, yes -- especially in terms of technical achievement and scale. That said, there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to a series this strong, and cases could easily be made for both films. But in terms of sequels, How to Train Your Dragon 2 has made some serious strides in delivering quality entertainment, and that makes it a must-see summer movie that all audiences can enjoy.