Review - How to Train Your Dragon 2

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is DreamWorks Animation's latest film, and it is great.
I'm always worried going into a sequel because usually they aren't as good as the first film, but in my opinion HTTYD2 is better than the first film.
In the Dean DeBlois' directed film we pick up with our hero Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and Toothless 5 years later, as they are exploring the world, discovering new islands and territories, which can only be done now that the Vikings are riding dragons, Hiccup is also being pressured by his father Stoick the Vast (Gerald Butler) to become the next chieftain of Berk.  Hiccup and Astrid (America Ferrera) come across a dragontrapper named Eret (Kit Harrington) and learns of other dragon riders out in the world, and also about a man named Drago Bludvist, someone from Stoick's past that is trying to conquer all dragons, which Hiccup tries to stop.

The film's made theme is of leadership, Hiccup having to consider becoming the next chieftain, among other more spoilery details, but I thought the theme was very strong and helped the film considerably.
Of course the dragons are awesome in the film, Toothless being the standout always doing something cute in the background of every scene he is in, the dragons are also very cool because everyone in Berk now has their own, and the new dragons in the film are very cool, especially the Alphas which are the leaders of the pack.

The film does very well juggling all of the characters they introduced in the first film while also introducing a few new ones, the side characters have a lot to do,  Astrid has a lot to do, being Hiccup's girlfriend and being in the action and is part of the main side plot of the film, the romance between Hiccup and Astrid is done very well, they seem like a couple, teasing each other with the odd kiss and cuddle thrown in. The rest of Hiccup and Astrid's classmates are back and have a good amount to do, Snotlout (Jonah Hill), Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig) get wrapped up in a funny little love plot, while Ruffnut's brother Tuffnut (T.J. Miller) doesn't have much to do and just says a few jokes throughout the film.
The new characters are great and bring a new life to the film series, Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou) is the villain of the piece, a dragon hunter who wants to take over the world with a dragon army, he was a threatening and scary looking villain, my only problem with the character was that his reasoning for being evils were iffy, but it is easy to look-over, Eret (Kit Harrington) is a dragontrapper who sells captured dragons to Drago, the character has a nice arc and is a macho while goofy character. Valka (Cate Blanchett) is the best new character in the film (her character is spoiled heavily in the trailers) but all i say is that she is someone from Hiccup's past, the character is very interesting because of how much of a recluse she is, and has a tad of crazy in her for being without people for so many years.

The film works well on so many levels and is a great sequel to the original, i recommend everyone to see this film.

4/5

What did you think of the film? Comment and let me know!