DreamWorks has made some great animated movies over the years, but I feel that How to Train Your Dragon is one of their best. This is the movie (that was actually based on a book) that spawned a huge franchise. There have been two more movies, a TV series, video games and a ton of merch in every toy store in the country.
How to Stream or Download How to Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon Review (2010) can be streamed or it can be downloaded from iTunes or Google Play Store. You might be also interested in the sequels: How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019).
The Movie Review
The first How to Train Your Dragon movie despite being the better part of ten years old as I write this still looks fantastic. The movie has a great Viking and fantasy style to it and this really sets it apart from the rest of the DreamWorks catalog as far as the style goes.
It is so easy to look at How to Train Your Dragon as nothing more than a flashy action-packed kids movie, but that is so unfair. Now granted, the movie is very action-packed and the action scenes, especially when the riders are taking part in aerial battles are amazing. But, How to Train Your Dragon also has a great story of a boy coming of age.
The main character in the movie is Hiccup and he is voiced by Jay Baruchel. He is weak, scrawny and always doing the wrong thing. This is made all the worse as his father, Stoick is the chief of their village and he is big, strong, brave and always so sure of himself. Hiccup works as a trainee blacksmith, but his heart is really not in it.
Dragons are always attacking the village. Causing a lot of damage and stealing livestock each time they show up. There are dragon riders in the village and Hiccup due to taking down a rare dragon called a Night Fury tries his hand at becoming one. Hiccup actually hurts toothless, but in not being able to bring himself to kill him, he bonds with him and learns more about dragons than anyone in the village.
Hiccup learns that there is a big evil dragon that is making the smaller ones do what they do. Of course, no one listens or cares and his dad even disown him which is super hard to watch. This is very well done, but the way Hiccup despite being hurt, decides to go and do the right thing is awesome and actually a great message for kids who are watching.
While the Dragons series has been around for a while now and we just take for granted that. Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, and Fishlegs are a team and can do it all. It is great to see the friendship happen here. Not just with the kids, but the kids with their dragons as well.
As you would expect, Hiccup and his dad make amends and Hiccup along with Toothless are the ones to save the day and show the rest of the village that dragons are not bad. I thought that the way Stoick was able to admit he was wrong and show his son that he loved him and was proud of him was great.
I am not sure I would say that the first How to Train Your Dragon movie is the best in the trilogy, but this is where it all started. It is still a fun time and I think the way the movie shows Hiccup becoming more confident and realizing that it is important to stand up for what is right sets a great example for kids. Also, the movie looks amazing and is full of action so it has a little bit of everything.
