



The "boy and his dog" bildungsroman has been utilized hundreds of times in media; "E.T.," "Old Yeller," "Shiloh," "War Horse." When DreamWorks Animation decided to try their hand at the old adage, they threw in an underdog plot, a misunderstanding single parent in a leadership position, and the harrowing fear of the Mysterious Other. With a talented team of animators, a celeb filled voice cast that fit the characters, eclectic score and fantastic pacing, you have proof that old tales need only someone upright in the saddle to make the dragon fly high.We open on the Isle of Berk, a small village in which the people have flourished for seven generations, but every single building is new. The reason behind the constant renovations is the ever increasing dragon attacks, where the winged beasties steal food, terrorize the villagers and are pretty much seen as giant pests. Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), the weedy, teenage son of the village chief, Stoick (Gerard Butler), knows he's not the most brawny of vikings, and that he is seen as a disappointment to his father due to his sharp mind and clumsy nature. In order to impress the village, in particular his burly dad, and his eye candy, Astrid (America Ferrera), Hiccup feels he has to kill a dragon. Not just any dragon, but the rare and elusive Night Fury, seen as the "unholy offspring of lightning and death." Of course, as is screenwriters want, Hiccup manages to bag a Night Fury during one of the frequent dragon raids, but finds he hasn't got the heart to kill him. Instead, he frees him, and decides to study him. Upon earning his trust and naming him Toothless due to his retractable teeth, and helping him fly again with a prosthetic tail fin, Hiccup forms a strong bond with the dragon, leading to him realizing that the beasts aren't so beastly after all.The plot is as predictable as the tide, but it's woven with such love and care that it matters not one jot. The animation looks slightly aged in some respects, but the overall movement, the backgrounds and lighting, the dragons and even the water all look amazing. The real feat of the animation is the work done on Toothless, with his cat like eyes and movements, his subtle looks and tilting ear plates, his slender wild ways and his every mannerisms, even the way he spreads his wings. The animators, and sound designer, Randy Thom, helped make Toothless into a living, breathing creature.In fact, for a near decade old computer animated film, the aged elements are few and far between. The film looks absolutely gorgeous, especially in the "Forbidden Friendship" sequence, and whenever the main duo are flying through the air. The character design is a masterful blend of realism and cartoony, with a fair dash of Chris Sanders' unique style thrown in, particularly on Toothless, who resembles the alien, Stitch, from DeBlois and Sanders' Disney film. Despite the resemblance, Toothless is an extremely unique character, in both looks and temperament, and it's with him, and his friendship with Hiccup, that the film truly soars.The film wisely takes its time to allow scenes to breathe, since the bond between the two unlikely pals isn't going to form overnight. It's fascinating to watch this large, wild creature take a liking to this gangly upstart, whom he could eat (if he wasn't a pescatarian) or fry in an instant. At first, Toothless knows Hiccup is a means of sustenance, but with time and mutual respect, and learning to take to the skies in a manner that only works with full synchronization and trust, the dragon and boy's friendship runs so deep, that the former attacks his own kind to protect the human he has grown to love. The pair prove themselves to be two halves of a whole, one the last of his kind, the other a misfit. Despite being different species, they are very much alike, and stubborn to boot!It's good to know that the rest of the story is and supporting characters are also enjoyable. The other major player in the story is the relationship between Hiccup and his aforementioned father, who despises dragons, not only because they ruin the lives of his people, but they also carried away his wife. His hatred of dragons is not unfounded, just as Hiccup's new found love for them is pure. Both have vastly different experiences with the creatures. There's the troubling element that Stoick scorns Hiccup for being "different," much to the irritation of Gobber (Craig Ferguson), who doesn't understand why he can't accept his son as he is, and let him find his own feet. While Gobber is the kindly, hyper uncle figure that gives Hiccup a chance where his father will not, Stoick's disconnect comes from himself, also - he and Hiccup are extremely alike. Clumsy, stubborn, strategic - here is a typical case of clashing parent and child, which of course boils over when Stoick finds out that the reason Hiccup has become so good at dragon training, isn't because he's a viking brute, but from his time spent with his scaly best friend.Astrid, and the other teenagers are a likable lot with genuinely funny quips. Astrid is different from the typical girl fare in animated films; she's spunky, self reliant and knows who she is. Her inevitable liking of Hiccup does not come without her growing jealousy of his surprise success in the ring, but it springs from a natural place. Astrid begins to like Hiccup for his patience and humbleness, and his determination to protect his best friend from the burly adults who would kill him at first glance. The twins, Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig) and Tuffnut (T.J. Miller), along with Snotlout (Jonah Hill) and Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz Plasse), all provide humour without being overbearing.The film shines when it focuses on Hiccup and Toothless, with scenes of almost no dialogue, aided by a sublime score by John Powell, and state of the art animation. You really feel like this relationship is growing, that the characters are real, and you feel every single emotion. Not to mention that the flying scenes, using real aerodynamic physics, make you feel like you're flying on the back of a dragon."How to Train Your Dragon" is a prime example of how execution makes a story work. Brilliantly animated, with fantastic music, great pacing and lovable characters, including one of the best silent characters in film history, "How to Train Your Dragon" not only flies, it soars.10/10Aileen's Appreciation Corner:* Toothless nudging Hiccup's palm with his nose was an animation glitch, but they liked it so much that they kept it in. This also goes for the part where the camera passes over his body when Hiccup finds him in the woods, and we see his eye open. His eye was supposed to be closed, but a glitch made it stay open, and they liked the effect it gave.* Toothless' smile was inspired by one of the animator's babies learning how to smile.* The film was rewritten halfway through production, and the original director, Peter Hastings, was replaced by DeBlois and Sanders. This is because the film was looking like it was more for younger children, than for children of an older demographic.* Toothless was initially the size of a Terrible Terror, but he was changed to the much larger Night Fury with the author's blessing, so Hiccup could ride him. The Night Fury design was initially more wolf like, until the animators saw a colleague's desktop wallpaper - a black panther.* DeBlois started writing the script for the sequel during the film's final sound check in February of 2010.* Hiccup was supposed to be alone when he found out he lost his leg, but Steven Spielberg thought it would show how strong he and Toothless' bond was if the dragon was there to help him and see him wake up.* The Terrible Terror's noises were provided by a Chihuahua named Paco! His owner was paid for the use of his voice.* It is currently the highest rated DreamWork's Animated film at 98%, with a 7.9/10average score.