How to Train Your Dragon

The plot isn’t really new, with the main character, Hiccup, trying to fit in and become a full pledge Viking. Adding more challenge to him is his father Stoic, the leader of the Vikings, who believes that he doesn’t have it in him to become a Viking. If only he could kill one dragon, Hiccup knew he would gain his father’s, and the Viking village’s, respect.

Hiccup’s physique, however, easily proves his father’s point, aside from the occasional bungling he does whenever he tries to help in the fight with the dragons. With engineering know-how, Hiccup built a weapon which he thinks will help him catch his dragon… and his target, the mysterious never-before-seen kind called the Night Fury.

He got a shot, and hits his target. Unfortunately, nobody was there to see it and his father does not believe him and would not have any of it. Hiccup sets to the forest to find his catch, and he found it, the Night Fury, caught in the net from his weapon.

Hiccup tried to kill the dragon so he can make his father proud, but he couldn’t find it in heart to kill the helpless beast.

What follows was a series of discoveries between Hiccup and the dragon, which he named Toothless. Hiccup learned that dragons were not really evil as what their Viking ancestors thought they were, and Toothless learned that not all Vikings will hurt a dragon. The two developed a friendship that defies history and tradition.

Think about E.T., Mac & Me, and other stories were the main character befriended a creature which was either different, or was supposed to be an enemy.

Hiccup was in a situation where he could change the Viking’s wrong perception of the dragons, or be one of them and continue the war against the beasts.

He choose to be different, Hiccup choose change.

In what was deemed to be preposterous and taboo in their culture, Hiccup did not kill the dragon in his final Viking test. In fact, in front of everybody – including his father, he tried to befriend the dragon that he was supposed to kill.

This angered Stoic and shouted to stop the fight, distracting the dragon, causing it to attack Hiccup. Toothless, sensing his friend is trouble flew to the Viking village to save him, where he was captured by the Vikings.

Stoic learned from Hiccup that Toothless can lead them to the dragons’ lair, and so they set forth. Arriving at the dragons’ nest, they met the biggest dragon which was actually forcing the dragons to steal food from the village, lest they will be the one who will be eaten.

Of course, the story ended with Hiccup and Toothless defeating the giant dragon and saving the day (Yes, that’s all I will say. For the sake of those who haven’t watched it yet).

This is really a great family movie which the kids and I enjoyed watching yesterday. It is unfortunate though that we didn’t get to watch it in 3D which should it make it even more awesome.

Nonetheless, the storyline was great, with great values embedded too.

Tags: dragon slayer, dragons, E.T. Mac & Me, friendship, hero, Hiccup, How to Train Your Dragon, movie review, Night Fury, Stoic, Toothless, Vikings