In the nine years since audiences first traveled to the village of Berk in How to Train Your Dragon, a lot has changed for the Vikings who live there. No longer afraid of dragons, they now live in harmony with the great winged creatures. But in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, a new enemy threatens their peaceful existence.
The third and final film in the trilogy catches up with Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) as he’s settling into life as the young chief of Berk. Hiccup and his friends have created the perfect dragon-Viking utopia, which they’ve filled with dragons that they continue to rescue from trappers. But that makes them a target for dragon hunter Grimmel (F. Murray Abraham), who sets his sights on Toothless. And in order to keep his village and their dragons safe, Hiccup sets out to find The Hidden World, where they can all live in peace.
As the Dragon trilogy comes to a close, a young adult Hiccup is forced to learn a lot about himself. No longer the teen who isn’t interested in his father’s goals and expectations, Hiccup has become the leader that he was always meant to be—but he’s making it work on his own terms. Still, there’s something inside him that isn’t ready to embrace his future—and as he fights to save the dragons he loves, he struggles to find confidence in himself.
This, of course, makes for more than just a silly, playful movie for kids. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World may have its share of action and adventure and laughs, too, but it’s all built on an emotional story about finding your way and making tough decisions. Though some of the characters are far from sophisticated, the story itself is, and that makes for a surprising number of scenes of quiet drama that tend to drag a bit (especially for younger viewers). But those are also some of the scenes that are the most visually stunning, too—with imaginative settings and phosphorescence. And while the drama leading up to the emotional conclusion isn’t flawless, it might sometimes make you forget that you’re not watching a Pixar movie.
Fans of the series will find that How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is a fitting conclusion for Hiccup and Toothless. Just don’t forget to bring the tissues—because there’s a very good chance that you’ll need them.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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