DreamWorks Animations| USA | 98 mins
Shrek and Kung Fu Panda can step aside, Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders have delivered the best DreamWorks animation with How To Train Your Dragon. The story is one of a familiar mold, but the way it is delivered is impeccable. Due to the immersive flying sequences, the expertly handled father/son relationship, the beautiful environments and the perfect implementation of 3D, this is not only one of the best animations in recent years, but one of the most enthralling adventures.
The story begins as a fleet of dragons attack the small Viking town of Berk. Our anti-hero Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) attempts to avoid any contact as he introduces us to the town and its people, moving through the ongoing battle. His father (Gerard Butler) is the typical powerful Viking disappointed his son isn’t following in his footsteps. Hiccup is a small, weak tween who desperate to get the approval of his father, but simply comes from a different mindset. During this introductory battle, Hiccup spots the most ferocious of all the dragons, a Night Fury, and guns him down. Except no one saw, nor believes, him. The next day he explores the forest, finds the dragon and herein starts the tale of friendship.
Unlike the previous DreamWorks offerings, Dragon favors characters and adventure over silly gags and pop culture references. While there are still a few sprinkled in, emotion and escapism heavily out weigh the forgivable occurrences. The story is a familiar one as the boy realizes that with a little love, dragons are friendly creatures that can actually help the town of Berk and all Vikings. What sets this film apart is the remarkable technical elements and design that add wonders to the story.
Credit must go to Roger Deakins, cinematographer on the majority of Coen Brothers films including No Country For Old Men and A Serious Man, as well as Andrew Dominik‘s Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford. Like 2008’s Wall-E, Deakins was the visual consultant on How To Train Your Dragon. As the camera moves astoundingly through this world, his work shines. In James Cameron‘s Avatar, there were a few shots during the Banshee flying scenes that made my jaw drop, but as a whole, they don’t touch the level of immersion on display here. With each flying sequence we are taken on a exuberant ride, placed perfectly into Hiccup’s view.
Unlike the last DreamWorks’ film, Monsters Vs. Aliens, the 3D is more akin to Up, used as a window into this world. And what a world it is. DeBlois‘ perceptive eye for cinematic structure, shown in his Sigur Ros music documentary Heima, is carried out here. Each environment is rendered delicately. From the tree bark to the red hairs on Stoick’s beard, it is all stunning animation.
Despite the kiddie trailers, the design of the dragons fit perfectly. Later in the film we are met by a terrifying, more “realistic” dragon and if DeBlois and Sanders used a similar design for our main hero, we could never connect to the more ubiquitously animated Toothless.
The film’s climatic conclusion goes into territory previously unexplored by a DreamWorks animation. By the credits, I was met with a swelling of emotion that formerly was only found in Pixar films. They also take a bold step related to our main character, which works with charm. This could have been the start of a profound stride for DreamWorks, but with Shrek: Forever After coming out in two months, we may only have this little gem to enjoy.
8.5 out of 10