Welcome back everyone to my next movie review of 2019. Sorry if its been awhile but I have not had the time to see many movies recently, which is a shame considering there were some movies I was really interested in that I may not get to see in a theater (Alita Battle Angel, and Fighting with my Family come to mind). But I have returned and am ready to look into the conclusion of what has become one of the greatest animated franchises of our time. Now if you guys have been keeping up with my blog you will know I am a big fan of the franchise (the reviews for the first two are up the blog if you’re curious) so naturally and I was really excited to see how it all end. Fortunately just like another recent animated sequel this movie definitely lives up to the hype.
Almost a year has past since the events of How to Train your Dragon 2, and since then Berk has essentially become a dragon viking utopia. Now chief after his father’s death Hiccup and his friends have been freeing dragons, and having them live on Berk as a sanctuary (much to the chagrin to his right hand man Gobber). However everything changes one day when Hiccup, and Toothless discover another species of Night Fury called the bright fury whom toothless becomes in love with. But more urgent matters arrive as these rescue missions start to attract the attention of conquerors who want to create a dragon army of their own by hiring renowned dragon hunter Grimmel to capture these dragons. After hearing this from Grimmel himself, Hiccup decides that Berk is no longer safe for dragons, and decides to go on a mission to find the Hidden World, a land his father had been searching for many years, in order to give the dragons a brand new, and safer home. But as Grimmel gets closer and closer to finding them, and as Toothless starts to become closer to his new mate (causing some issues between him and Hiccup) can the Hidden World be discovered before it is too late, and can Hiccup be able to let go of Toothless?
If How to Train your Dragon 2 was a great example on how to make a sequel then the Hidden World is how to make a finale. I was a little worried that this movie was going to end up like Kung Fu Panda 3 which while a very good movie, was not as epic, or big in scale as it should have been, and suffered from some tonal issues (ironically it was the far superior second film that excelled at these things). Thank goodness though that this movie does not have those problems, as it does indeed feel like its the end of the line, and that this is the biggest threat these characters have faced yet. The tone is also very consistent here, as the movie knows when to throw in some good comedy (which is pretty hilarious), and to have very character driven moments (something these movies excel at). I also love how this movie delves into the character of Hiccup more and shows him as a leader, and how he deals with the pressure of doing what is right for his people, how he feels about letting go of Toothless, and also living up to how his father would have seen him, which I found very relatable, and also makes his character even more compelling in this movie. There is also a good emphasis on relationships in the film which was handled excellently as we get more interactions between Hiccup, and Astrid (who are just so adorable, and are one my favorite couples in the media), and some amazing dialogue less sequences with Toothless, and the Bright Fury that are beautiful, hilarious, and heartwarming all at the same time (seriously these sequences are comparable to the scenes between Wall-E, and Eve). While the film may not be as dark as the 2nd one, that’s not necessarily a bad thing since most threequels are usually less darker than the sequel, and it did not affect the tone like with Kung Fu Panda 3, and I was invested throughout.
But of course what would these films be without their stunning visuals, and this entry is definitely the best looking of the series by far. This is probably one of the most beautiful looking movies I have seen in a while, and once again takes great advantage of the medium of animation to create something grand. The backgrounds are especially a sight to behold, as there is so much attention to detail (seriously pay attention to the sand in one scene), and the Hidden World is an absolute beauty on the big screen with so many vibrant colors, and great world building (again something this franchise excels at). The designs of the dragons are once again a highlight as not one of them look the same in one shot, and the human designs and movements are also strong once again. The action is also quite spectacular as there are many memorable and intense set piece throughout that are all comprehensible in that the audience can see what is going on (the final battle is especially epic). Also the score is nice throughout, whether it is the quiet moments, or the intense action, it is also great to hear John Powell’s score used effectively throughout (again see that final battle).
Once again the voice actors do a great job in their final role as these characters. Jay Baruchel, and America Ferrera bring Hiccup, and Astrid to life one last time and they have excellent chemistry in this movie. The rest of the supporting cast is equally as strong, although if there is one issue I have with this movie is that sometimes the Dragon riders can be a little annoying, and don’t do much for the plot, and some characters form the 2nd one do not get as much screen time as before. But still at least they provide some good comedy (especially Gobber) and the actors do well with what they are given. But the standout here is F. Murray Abraham as Grimmel who is by far the best villain in the series (and this is coming from someone who really liked Drago). Not only is he threatening, and has a cool hunter like personality, but I thought it was very interesting that (slight spoilers) he is pretty much Hiccup if he went another path. Another thing that is really impressive about him is his facial expression which is some of the best “acting” I have seen in any animated feature.
So in the end How to Train your Dragon the Hidden World is a more than worthy conclusion to a great franchise. While I still think the 2nd one is the better film overall, that does not detract from how beautiful of a finale this is, and how I am really going to miss this franchise (I still have got to watch the Netflix series). Now as Dreamworks Animation becomes apart of the Comcast machine, this movie truly is the end of an era, and hopefully Dreamworks Animation will continue to do amazing work going forward.
And yes the epilogue will make you shed a few tears!
Rating: A
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