How to Train Your Dragon

Hiccup on his awesome dragon, Toothless.
cdn.screenrant.com

This week the random number generator gave me 174. That corresponds to How to Train Your Dragon. Now, some people may have been upset about getting an animated movie, but I absolutely loved the opportunity. I think there's something that a lot of film creators are able to get out of kids movies that real movies miss. Up, The Incredibles, Lion King, the list goes on and on. Maybe it's the innocence, maybe it's the subtle undertones put in the movies so parents can enjoy them too, I don't know. All I know is that kids movies are awesome.

How to Train Your Dragon follows the trials of Hiccup (yes, I know a ridiculous name, but it's explained in the movie) as he tries to become a Viking like his father, the ruler of their village by killing dragons. He's very unlike everyone in the village, but he still tries to make his dad proud. Things get extremely tricky when he downs the most elusive of dragons, and essentially becomes friends with it. Without giving too much away, there is of course a happy ending, but that's not what I want to focus on.

What I found so great about this movie was that it displayed a strained father-son relationship in the midst of everything else it was doing. The relationship was not the main focus of the movie, but it was the main motivation behind almost all of Hiccup's actions. There is only one mention of the mother, but she is obviously out of the picture, and it's hinted at that she is dead. I would have liked a more direct confrontation of this HUGE issue considering a young boy's development, but it is a kids movie, so I understand. The handling of the relationship between Hiccup and his father is exceptional. Much better than that in most "adult" movies. I was extremely happy with this movie and would recommend it again and again.

Worth your time.