How to Train your Dragon 2 review: good and not what‘s expected

How to Train your Dragon 2 is the sequel to the 2010 hit about training dragons.  That movie was one of the ones that slipped under our radar in that we never saw it.  However now our oldest really enjoys going to the movies and can handle a bit more action.  A dragon movie is in order and while How to Train your Dragon 2 did scare him a bit; he had nothing but great things to say about it afterwards.

What I liked about How to Train your Dragon is that, to an extent it defies the rules of children’s movies.   It may be a stretch to say children’s movies, but I’m using it under the very broad classification of all animated moves are for children.

There were 4 years between the movies

Generally the sequel to a successful children’s movie comes out 2-3 years after the original. A 6 year old that likes a movie is less likely to like its sequel when they see it as a 10 year old.  To that extent I understand why big studios crank out sequels as quickly as they can; but more often than not a quick turn yields worse results.

There is a death

Slight spoiler alert.  There is a major death in the story.  When it happened I thought that they were merely gravely injured.  No character dies in an animated movie, I thought to myself.  My four-year old shouldn’t be watching this, I thought.  Then I remembered that Bambi’s mother died and that he already knows the deal.  Still, it was surprising and a little refreshing to have such a major plot change happen when you’re not expecting it.

The death of the character, in a small way helps teach kids about cause and effect.  That’s the way I rationalize it in my mind.  It’s something that they can’t avoid and if a major character in a children’s movie helps introduce the permanence of death then that is part of life.

The animation in How to Train your Dragon is beautiful and the story works in a very organic way.  I had no idea what was going to happen and that’s why I’m leaving things general in this review.

There was one moment that seemed more in place with Godzilla than How to Train your Dragon.  It was a scene where two giant dragons were battling.  We were just returning from using the bathroom and our 4 year old was insisting that he didn’t want to see these monsters on the screen.

In total that scene was: 60 and had monster sound effects and large creature lunging at each other.

It wasn’t that bad of a scene, but we were expecting anything questionable in the movie.  However, the movie is rated PG.   If it were rated G that scene wouldn’t have been in there and far fewer adults would be in the theater too.

How to Train your Dragon 2 was really entertaining and much better than expected.  The story took chances, was a little darker in spots than I expected, but in the end it all came back to an entirely relatable and common answer.  Children 6 and up will enjoy How to Train your Dragon thoroughly.  Moms and dads will enjoy the movie, love the animation and be caught off guard a couple of times too.