The quest for studios to create a great sword and kingdom-themed animated epic for theaters has seen a fascinating evolution through the medium’s history. I can see easily how Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 Lord Of The Rings movie and Disney’s 1985 feature The Black Cauldron were a predecessor for the How To Train Your Dragon series, but Dreamworks’ trilogy has had a distinct emotional core and sophistication to it that’s made it stand out among not just the studio’s other animated movies, but other entries in the fantasy genre period (be they cartoons or live-action).
This third film (once again directed by Dean DeBlois), finally being released five years after the 2014 sequel is an ideal, heartfelt conclusion to the story of chief’s son Hiccup and his pet black dragon Toothless. Though it features modern sensibilities in its humor in many respects (especially among the supporting cast), The Hidden World has an elegance to its story that calls back to early Disney animations like Snow White and Bambi.
Using Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) as its narrator adds a “timelessness” quality, and Baruchel’s performance is as moving as it’s ever been. It’s apt for the dilemma he deals with, which turns into a metaphor for- not unlike last year’s Ralph Breaks The Internet– letting friends advance to new points in their lives regardless where their roads take them.
The village of Berk will need more than roads to confront their dilemma of dragons overcrowding their living space. While it’s a society that thrives on dragon power, the young chief’s altruism has resulted in some of the majestic creatures knocking over buildings due to sheer lack of room. To make matters worse, they’ve attracted the attention of a band of dragon poachers led by the infamous Grimmel the Grisley (F. Murray Abraham) who wants to hunt down all Night Furies, with Hiccup’s beloved Toothless in his line of fire.
Hiccup’s best friend Astrid (America Ferrera) is right when she says Hiccup’s plan to move the dragons and villagers to the fabled Hidden World for safety is “so him”, not objecting to the mass migration through the clouds that sort of venture requires. Meanwhile, Toothless has been seduced by a mysterious Light Fury dragon, and the scenes between them courting and mating are sweet, funny and adorable all at once- great examples of silent cartoon pantomiming, with John Powell’s score serving as a great compliment for the two dragons’ feelings.
Simultaneously a badass warrior in black armor, as well as a gentle, good-hearted soul, Hiccup’s chemistry between his pet dragon and girlfriend are the strongest elements of this film. But the side characters remain likable and fun comic relief without drowning out the stakes or scales of the conflict. Kristen Wiig channels her Lola Bunny aura as the motormouthed Ruffnut (which comes in handy, believe it or not).
Her twin brother Tuffnut (Justin Rupple) establishes himself as the one to give Hiccup romantic advice for Astrid, who in turn is a wonderful and strong ally to Hiccup. Craig Ferguson returns as the endearing Gobber, while Jonah Hill’s egotistical Snotlout tries to earn the admiration of Hiccup’s mother Valka (Cate Blanchett) for a promotion.
If I had any major issues, some elements of the story aren’t too hard to predict. There’s nothing especially bothersome or frustrating about how the plot unfolds, but it’s a movie more focused on developing the characters and evolving their world views than it is making the plot twists especially shocking (something the second movie pulled off surprisingly well).
And while Grimmel is generally a more interesting and charismatic villain than Drago Bludvist (thanks in part to some good voice acting by Abraham), I would have liked to have seen more attention given to his background. All we know about him is, like Drago, that he views dragons as weapons whereas Hiccup and Berk see humanity in the creatures.
But the strong emphasis on the emotional journey of its cast alongside its plot has been a general theme of this trilogy, one major reason why it’s been so successful. The visuals are certainly another one, because the animation (as usual) is on-point. With distinct designs all around, the facial expressions of the cast make for both some great comical and tear-jerking scenes.
The battle sequences are entertaining kid-friendly scraps, while the flying scenes (notably one with Toothless and the Light Fury) beg to be seen in a 3D showing. Or it’d be perfect for a big screen television once it’s released for home media.
In the first two Dragon movies, Hiccup’s dealt with a painful loss but taken a step forward in his personal growth, and How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World continues that trend. This movie is a perfect climax to his and Toothless’ journey, wrapping up any potential loose ends in a heart filled conclusion you might want to bring some extra napkins for, but will still leave the audience feeling satisfied. If you’d had the chance to see it, let us know your thoughts and opinions at @Official_FAN on Twitter!