How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
Directed by Dean DeBlois
Five years after uniting the dragons and Vikings of Berk, Hiccup and Toothless soar beyond their homeland, charting the vast unknown. During one of their adventures, the pair discover a secret cave that houses hundreds of wild dragons—and a mysterious dragon rider with a startling connection to Hiccup. And as the ruthless conqueror Drago Bludvist rises to seize control of both dragons and people alike, Hiccup must step into his role as a true leader and, alongside his friends and Toothless, protect Berk from a devastating war.
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16 films that influenced How to Train Your Dragon 2
What critics say influenced How to Train Your Dragon 2
This may as well be his Fortress of Solitude, or to borrow an analogy from that greatest of fantasy-movie sequels, “The Empire Strikes Back” (whose influence on DeBlois cannot be underestimated), it’s the spiritual equivalent of Dagobah, where Yoda trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force.
The influence of The Empire Strikes Back is readily apparent between the often icy environments and steeper stakes (DeBlois has admitted as much in interviews), and although the original’s entire voice cast has reprised its roles, Baruchel and America Ferrera (as Hiccup’s now-girlfriend, Astrid) contribute subtly mature work bringing their lead characters forth from their teens into something resembling adulthood.
This sequel has been pitched by director Dean DeBlois as The Empire Strikes Back to How to Train Your Dragon's A New Hope, picking up five years after the events of the original with Vikings and dragons living in harmony on the island of Berk.
The follow-up has both the solemnity and big story turns that made The Empire Strikes Back a superior sequel, as well as the cartoonish, kid-oriented set pieces that made Return of the Jedi more of a family-friendly adventure.
Like The Empire Strikes Back (which is a terrific qualitative allusion here), How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a marvelous middle act.
The animated sequel takes cues from "The Empire Strikes Back" the same way "Skyfall" took cues from "The Dark Knight."
Taking its cues as much from Star Wars and Game of Thrones as from its own storybook narrative, How to Train Your Dragon 2 breathes fire into a franchise sequel.
It's clear that he took inspiration from the first Star Wars trilogy — not a bad model for breathing new life, and yes, a bit of fire, into one of Hollywood's more nuanced animated franchises.
Like the original "Star Wars" trilogy and "Toy Story" series, the makers of this franchise are allowing the films to grow up alongside loyal young viewers.
Watching How to Train Your Dragon 2, you’re reminded of the thrill you felt when you saw your first computer-animated movie, be it Toy Story or A Bug’s Life or even the forgettable Antz.
Not since Toy Story has an animated movie managed to feel so fresh and vibrant with its second helping.
There's already a third movie in the works, and now it seems likely that director Dean DeBlois can make it stellar enough to join the ranks of Toy Story and Shrek as unforgettable animated franchises.
Like the original "Star Wars" trilogy and "Toy Story" series, the makers of this franchise are allowing the films to grow up alongside loyal young viewers.
It should remind one of the films of Hayao Miyazaki (Oscar winner for “Spirited Away”), whose lyrical work in movies has allegedly ended after last year’s amazing “The Wind Rises.”
How to Train Your Dragon 2 can hope to be as good as Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro, but hoping’s as close as it’s gonna get.
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It shows, too, particularly in the unoriginal plot, which borrows from everything from “Harry Potter” to “Gorillas in the Mist,” with a little “Brave” tossed in for measure.
In the same way that “Finding Nemo” evoked the happy rush of tropical scuba diving, this aerial joyride conjures up the thrill of flight and free fall through cloud formations.
Finding Nemo largely explores the love of a father for his son and lightly touches on the love of a son for his father.
What the sea was to " Finding Nemo ," the sky is to "How to Train Your Dragon 2"—a boundary-free backdrop of natural beauty that allows the audience to experience first-hand the wonders down below or up above in an immersive way that only the best in 3-D animation can do.
Watching How to Train Your Dragon 2, you’re reminded of the thrill you felt when you saw your first computer-animated movie, be it Toy Story or A Bug’s Life or even the forgettable Antz.
It should remind one of the films of Hayao Miyazaki (Oscar winner for “Spirited Away”), whose lyrical work in movies has allegedly ended after last year’s amazing “The Wind Rises.”
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Writer/director Dean DeBlois has created a powerful, exciting and touching film that proves animation can challenge the summer’s big-ticket live-action movies, just as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King did 20 years ago.
As for the recurring matter of human legacies, Dragon 2 ’s themes fall in line with the studio’s well-worn favorites: Shrek 2 was also about living up to parental expectations, while sequels to Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda similarly dwelt on the protagonist’s long lost heritage.