It can be said that a great animated film is not simply a kids film, it is just a great film, and creating great animation, like any great film, is a challenging business where a vast number of parts must fall into place to achieve a result that isn't boring, or patronising, or condescending, or downright dreadful to anyone over the age of 8. Pixar are modern masters of great animated films, and the visionary Studio Ghibli have been releasing complex and challenging animation for a number of years. After a period of stop-start so-so missteps, DreamWorks have forged their own furrow into the decks of quality animation. Some of their output still slips into ho-hum territory, but of the crown jewels the do have, the How To Train Your Dragon series shines brightest.
The set up from the original is simple - battle-loving Scotts-accented Vikings learn to live and thrive with their formerly-antagonistic local dragons through the actions of the sensitive, intelligent and soft on the outside, tough on the inside teenage son of the chief, whose natural kinship with a rare dragon sets the whole alliance off. (I may be doing #1 a massive disservice in over-simplification but plot isn't so important in the series - not that it matters). HTTYD 2 starts off where the second left off narratively, if 5 years later. Chief's son Hiccup is curious, adventurous and highly creative, if on the weedy side, traditionally speaking, for a Viking. The opening fifteen minutes is a thrilling and soaring re-introduction of characters, places and a swift set-up of what is to come, starting with our hero's gang of loveable idiots through to his family, and finally, in a thrilling 5-year old's fantasy dream-sequence roller-coaster, through clouds and blue skies and over oceans full of fantastical sea beasts, Hiccup himself and night-fury Toothless, the eponymous Dragon. As a self confessed man child, I was sucked in from the start and as the excitement built and built it left me grinning from ear to ear.
After such a dream start things could only go downhill, which admittedly they do, though thankfully not by much. The swift visual gags and character intros are delivered in seconds and as the film progresses the supporting cast of misfits get numerous moments to add a little extra levity and remind you they've always got Hiccups' back. The line between slapstick and subtlety is one of the finest lines to walk and HTTYD 2 deftly speeds along that line. After some really quite challenging moments to be able to handle a sharp sight gag could be distracting or insensitive, but it's a credit to the director and writer, Dean DeBlois that they can swing between tones so quickly and not lose any emotional engagement or have the humour fall flat.
And there are emotional moments. This is a film not afraid to go to some really quite dark places, to drop a number of hard hitting Plot Bombs, the kind of moments that epitomised the great Disney animations of the past and the kind of moments to often deemed "unsuitable for younger viewers". When handled correctly they can be affecting, and affirming and add true emotional resonance to the hero's quest, and provide real world lessons of how to deal with serious issues that as younger viewers grow up they can connect with. HTTYD 2 is not an overly complex movie - the plot is simple, some characters are thin - but it deals with a number of complex themes - themes of love and loss, grief and fear, tolerance and sacrifice. It's brave enough to attempt to stretch these themes without losing focus, ad it succeeds which deserves massive praise.
Lest anyone think this is a serious, dark film, it certainly brings a large slice of fun, a lot of laughs and plenty of eye-popping action on an epic scale. The sheer size and scale of the settings and creatures and the uncompromising speed of the action is boggling and it romps along without ever losing focus (The Alpha battle is a particular high point). The animation is perfectly realised, the colour compositions, the lighting, the camera positions and shot selections are expertly crafted. The possibilities of animation are pretty endless - which makes it all the more frustrating when an animation wastes the opportunity to push their boundaries - and the creators of HTTYD really use those possibilities to stretch what can be done within the frame. Twelve-time Academy Award nominee, Roger Deakins was a consultant director of photography and his unparalleled quality and experience shows.
If there's one sticking point it's how briefly Hiccup and his estranged mother, Valka, deal with the "you've been gone my whole life" issues. The motivations behind Valka's continued absence are swiftly brushed over, and were they given a little more attention may be more affecting. For younger viewers the guilt of leaving a child behind and the heartbreak of spousal separation may potentially be confusing and unengaging, but with a little more focus this could round out a new character and raise a more intense emotional response. It's the one dropped ball in an otherwise near perfect play, though their family reunion moments are neatly handled. Also the Big Bad is paper thin. Well played and competently voiced, he works well as a motivator, but is ultimately one dimensional.
But lets be honest, this movie belongs to Hiccup, and more so to Toothless. He's the perfect blend of loyal companion, intelligent protector and powerful predator. Goofy, charming and deadly, he's both pet and comrade. And who doesn't want a dragon as a best friend? With each tic and head tip he only endears himself more, to both adults and children alike. It's not a surprise that DeBlois originally directed Lilo & Stitch, with Toothless being Stitch for the digital(ly animated) generation. So cute, so deadly, the perfect sidekick.
It is testament to the overall quality and integrity of the two current HTTYD movies that their relatively recent release doesn't affect their already classic status. HTTYD 2 whizzes past all the pitfalls and problems that beset most animations, and indeed sequels to stand alone.
In it's own right, a great film.
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