Laura McDonald
This is a new kind of enemy. We need to find the Hidden World.
In the time since Hiccup defeated Drago Bludvist and became Chieftan of Berk, they have been freeing dragons from captivity and bringing them to Berk to live in harmony with Berkians. After the most recent rescue mission, Hiccup seems to be oblivious to the fact that the island has become very crowded until Gobber makes him aware. He recalls a time when he was a young boy when his father, Stoik, told him about a Hidden World where dragons live. After taking a good look around, Hiccup decides to find the mysterious dragon utopia that his father spoke about.
Furious about the release of their captive dragons, the warlords meet with infamous dragon hunter, Grimmel, to offer the rarest of dragons (a white Fury) to him in exchange for their dragons back. In the past, Grimmel thought that he had slain all of the Night Furys until he learned that one remains… Toothless. Using the rare white Fury AKA Light Fury as bait, Grimmel sets off to accomplish his mission. Grimmel visits Hiccup to reveal his demands and burns down a large portion of Berk upon his departure. With no other options, Hiccups rallies the township to leave their home and travel in search of the Hidden World.
Along the way, the multitude of Berkians and dragons must rest and set up camp on a beautiful island. There Toothless and the Light Fury begin their courtship with the encouragement of Hiccup and Astrid. Valka sets out to scout the area and learns that Grimmel’s army of controlled dragons are closing in on them while Toothless and Light Fury fly off together. After a harrowing escape from Grimmel, Hiccup and Astrid find Toothless and Light Fury only to realize that Hiccup’s dream may possibly not come to fruition due to the threat that humans possess to dragons. Grimmel returns for the final showdown and Hiccup, Valka, Astrid and the rest of the Dragonriders must pull out all of the stops to save the creatures that they have come to love.
Now that’s a king
The third and final full feature chapter in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise sadly comes to an end with all the enchantment that I’ve grown to expect from the director, cast, and crew. Dean DeBlois has co-written, directed all three films, and his passion for the franchise shines through in every scene.
The vivid colorful animation provided by DreamWorks Animation surpasses the previous two installments while the storyline is by far the most emotional. The culmination of the three results in a bond between the viewer and the film in as much as the bond between Hiccup and Toothless.
The imagination that inspired these extremely entertaining films comes from Cressida Cowell who wrote the book that the films are based on. Her characters are brought to life by some amazingly talented voice stars. Jay Baruchel voices the lead character in all three and I will forever refer to him as Hiccup. Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, and Kit Harington all reprise their supporting roles and the film would not be the same without them, their antics, and the bonds they have with their unique dragons.
If you are a newbie to the life of How to Train Your Dragon, I highly recommend viewing the first two prior to this one in order to grasp the message that the tale is sending to the audience. In the first film, we see Hiccup maturing and standing up for himself. In the second film, his growth continues as well as his relationship with Toothless. True to life, this final brings the eventuality that we all face when we grown up, go out into the world, and find a mate (only it involves dragons). I’m aware that the purpose of a review is to highlight the good and the bad. In How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, I cannot find any bad (other than Grimmel who was wonderfully characterized by F. Murray Abraham and the baddest of all bad guys). It was the perfect ending to a perfect story for audiences of all ages. Hop onto your dragon and fly into the theater to capture the epic final journey of Hiccup and Toothless!
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