How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) - Dragons make sequel soar

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Lots of warm-faced characters and dragons peak out from this poster for Dean DeBlois' How to Train Your Dragon 2

A new wealth of dragons are discovered by Hiccup and his dragon Toothless, and they therefore must make sure that these creatures are not used for evil means.

 

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is written and directed by Dean DeBlois (Lilo & Stitch (2002)). It is the sequel to DeBlois' How to Train Your Dragon (2014) and the second in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy (2010; 2014; 2019), based on the 2003-15 How to Train Your Dragon novels by Cressida Cowell (Can Trees Talk? (2021)).

The narrative and themes are poorly lifted, and the weak-kneed, unwinning, Jay Baruchel-voiced (The Moodys (2019-21)) protagonist is one contributing reason. The animation is at times less than Disney standard, but the dragon designs and the giant monster thrill considerably. The creatures are the best part of this movie.

 

Related posts:

Dean DeBlois: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) - Dazzling animation, tired sheet 

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) - A well-made, dazzlingly animated family favorite

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 145 mil. $

Box office: 621.5 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 4.28 times its cost)

[How to Train Your Dragon 2 premiered 16 May (Cannes Film Festival, out of competition) and runs 102 minutes. DeBlois and a creative team went to Norway for inspiration for the film. The film opened #2, behind 22 Jump Street, to a 49.4 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 4 weekends in the top 5 (#3-#3-#5-#5), grossing 177 mil. $ (28.5 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were China with 65.1 mil. $ (10.5 %) and the UK with 41.5 mil. $ (6.7 %). It was the year's 12th highest-grossing and the 2nd highest-grossing animated film of the year, behind Big Hero 6. The film was nominated for the Best Animation Oscar, lost to Big Hero 6. It was also nominated for 2 BAFTAs and won a Golden Globe and a National Board of Review award, among other honors. The film additionally made an estimated 74.9 mil. $ on the North-American home video market alone. DeBlois returned with the last in the trilogy, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019). Baruchel returned in Lovesick (2016). How to Train Your Dragon 2 is certified fresh at 92 % with a 7.80/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of How to Train Your Dragon 2?

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) - Dazzling animation, tired sheet

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Splashy fresh colors and inviting animation lures from this poster for Dean DeBlois' How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Hiccup is under pressure in his viking world, which is getting overcrowded with rescued dragons.

 

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is written and directed by Dean DeBlois (Lilo & Stitch (2002)). It is the 3rd and final film in DeBlois' How to Train Your Dragon trilogy (2010; 2014) based on the How to Train Your Dragon novels (2003-15) by Cressida Cowell (The Day of the Dreader (2012)).

A flat and formulaic plot together with Jay Baruchel's (Random Acts of Violence (2019)) unfunny, irony-laced voice performance sucks the magic out of this film, despite it having dragons by the dozens, many of them very cute ones. A feeling of awe for the incredible designs and animation is the sole attraction here.

 

Related posts:

Dean DeBlois: 2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) - A well-made, dazzlingly animated family favorite

 

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 129 mil. $

Box office: 524.5 mil. $

=  Big hit (returned 4.06 times its cost)

[How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World was released 3 January (Australia, New Zealand) and runs 104 minutes. It opened #1 to a 55 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent one more weekend at #1 and then 3 more in the top 5 (#2-#4-#5), grossing 160.7 mil. $ (30.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were China with 54.5 mil. $ (10.4 %) and Russia with 27.9 mil. $ (5.3 %). It was the 5th highest-grossing animated film of the year. It was nominated for the Best Animation Oscar, lost to Toy Story 4. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe and won a National Board of Review award, among many other honors. How to Train Your Dragon returns as a live-action film also by DeBlois in 2025. DeBlois returned with TÍU (2022, documentary) but has yet to make his theatrical return. Baruchel returned in The Kindness of Strangers (2019). How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is certified fresh at 90 % with a 7.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World?

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) - A well-made, dazzlingly animated family favorite

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1 Film Excess nomination:

Best Animation (lost to Toy Story 3) 

+ Best 3D Movie of the Year

The poster for Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders' How to Train Your Dragon seems to promise kids everywhere the chance to meet a cool dragon almost first-hand

Hiccup is a scrawny young guy, who fits in very poorly with his father's macho-viking world. But then he meets a different kind of dragon and learns something that might change the world for everyone...

How to Train Your Dragon begins with an action sequence that can exhaust adult audiences unduly. Because after its end follows a good story with fun and strong character animations, - in particular the dragons are done with great skill and inspiration, - and sweepingly handsome landscape-, fire- and sky animation. The flying scenes are rich with wow-moments.
How to Train Your Dragon is written by William Davies (Johnny English (2003)) and co-writer-directors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch (2002), both), based on Cressida Cowell's (How to Be a Pirate (2004)) same-titled 2003 children's book. It is a fine family favorite, (if not quite as great as the directors' Lilo & Stitch.)

Related posts:

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 165 mil. $
Box office: 494.8 mil. $
= Box office success
[How to Train Your Dragon was released March 26 and runs 98 minutes. It competed for 3D screens with Alice in Wonderland. It opened #1 with a 43.7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 217.5 mil. $ (44 % of the total gross) and stayed in the top 5 for 8 weeks, taking the #1 spot back in its week 5. The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 26.4 mil. $ (5.3 %) and South Korea with 25.1 mil. $ (5 %). It is the 5th highest-grossing animated film of the year and the 10th highest-grossing film of the year overall. It got Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature (losing to Toy Story 3) and Best Score (losing to The Social Network). It is currently #162 on IMDb's Top 250. Roger Ebert gave it 3/4 stars, equal to the rating here. It has sold more than 6.5 mil. DVDs and Blu-rays, accruing more than 121.8 mil. $ additionally. A sequel came out in 2014 and another one is set for 2018. How to Train Your Dragon is certified fresh at 98 % with a 7.9 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of How to Train Your Dragon?