Watching swooping dragons on the small screen made me me regret, inasmuch as I tend to regret such things, seeing the film on the big screen and in 3D. Still, How to Train Your Dragon looks magnificent on television and the story is ultimately too enchanting to be confined to single ideal mode of presentation. The film’s message of empathy yields a refreshing rebuttal to the usual xenophobia, and the awkward protagonist inhabits a persuasive coming-of-age tale wrapped in the universal theme of finding one’s place in the world. I’m not sure why the Vikings are made to sound like Scotsmen, but going with the principle that everyone loves a Scottish accent one can appreciate the gusto with which Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson approached their roles as, respectively, the chief and the smithy. Our young hero is voiced by Jay Baruchel, who brings the same gawky charm to his role as Hiccup that he did to his role in The Sorceror’s Apprentice. Best of all is how the film gently subverts, without necessarily overthrowing, genre clichés to feel like honest storytelling instead of assembly line adventuring. How to Train Your Dragon is easily one of the most enjoyable animated features in recent years. And John Powell’s score is memorably beautiful too, enough to make the case for buying the soundtrack.
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2 comments:
I saw this movie at home & loved it! Love Craig Ferguson's voice. :o)
Craig Furguson is a funny man, and he was an inspired choice to provide a voice. :)
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