Jay Baruchel, the comedic actor from films like Knocked Up, Tropic Thunder, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (among others), voices the character of Hiccup--the hero in the latest DreamWorks animation flick. If you can put aside the bewildering Scottish accents that seem to permeate the Nordic Viking community Hiccup lives in, you'll find a heart-warming, coming-of-age tale that will definitely keep your attention...even if you're not with a five-year old.
Gerard Butler (the assumed major influence with the "choice" of accents used in the film), plays the leader of the Vikings...and Hiccup's father. Big, burly, bearded, and fearless, Butler takes audiences on a tour of how-not-to-parent-a- teen-101 while obsessing over his dragon problem. Which, is actually not a problem at all. The real problem: Ignorance. Ah. Lesson learned.
Without giving anything away, the animation is totally outstanding, and putting aside the obvious criticisms of this years-long film project, I can honestly say that perhaps for the first time ever in a "children's" animated movie, there is an element of the "real" in how the writers chose to deliver their hero from the proverbial fire.
You'll find as you watch "Toothless" and the other dragons, that the characteristics of the imagined animals are very dog-like, and so EASILY relatable to the broad audience of this film. There was an almost Jack London-esque White Fang-feel to this brightly-drawn (and written) soon-to-be-classic.
The happy surprise in this film is the character of Astrid, voiced by America Ferrera. Astrid is a strong female hero-character who is a natural leader and of course, the love interest of young Hiccup.
How to Train Your Dragon is a MUST-SEE film in 3-D; wait for the DVD if you don't want to spend the extra $$$ on a 3-D ticket. But of the many movies out in theatres today, How to Train Your Dragon is one of the few this reviewer would consider, "BIG screen worthy." It's also an excellent film for both the very young and very old--entertaining for the WHOLE family.
Enjoy! And let me know what you think if you see it...next on my list: Clash of the Titans!!! An adaptation of an adaptation of an adaptation...my kind of movie!
Gerard Butler (the assumed major influence with the "choice" of accents used in the film), plays the leader of the Vikings...and Hiccup's father. Big, burly, bearded, and fearless, Butler takes audiences on a tour of how-not-to-parent-a- teen-101 while obsessing over his dragon problem. Which, is actually not a problem at all. The real problem: Ignorance. Ah. Lesson learned.
Without giving anything away, the animation is totally outstanding, and putting aside the obvious criticisms of this years-long film project, I can honestly say that perhaps for the first time ever in a "children's" animated movie, there is an element of the "real" in how the writers chose to deliver their hero from the proverbial fire.
You'll find as you watch "Toothless" and the other dragons, that the characteristics of the imagined animals are very dog-like, and so EASILY relatable to the broad audience of this film. There was an almost Jack London-esque White Fang-feel to this brightly-drawn (and written) soon-to-be-classic.
The happy surprise in this film is the character of Astrid, voiced by America Ferrera. Astrid is a strong female hero-character who is a natural leader and of course, the love interest of young Hiccup.
How to Train Your Dragon is a MUST-SEE film in 3-D; wait for the DVD if you don't want to spend the extra $$$ on a 3-D ticket. But of the many movies out in theatres today, How to Train Your Dragon is one of the few this reviewer would consider, "BIG screen worthy." It's also an excellent film for both the very young and very old--entertaining for the WHOLE family.
Enjoy! And let me know what you think if you see it...next on my list: Clash of the Titans!!! An adaptation of an adaptation of an adaptation...my kind of movie!
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