Audience Response to How to Train your Dragon 2

Photo Courtesy – School of Dragons

One of the most anticipated movies this summer - How to Train your Dragon 2 - is finally out and making a big splash. Scoring more than 90% on the Rotten Tomatometer is one thing and wooing audiences quite another, as many a critically acclaimed flick has proved. But the response to the second installment of the planned dragons and Vikings trilogy has been pleasantly welcoming. In fact, the movie is on its way to becoming a runaway hit!

So what did How To Train Your Dragon 2 do to get it right the second time? Here’s what some viewers thought about the movie.

A lot of adults don’t really like syrupy children’s movies. DreamWorks non-fans were floored by the fact that a movie from the DWA stable could have such gripping action and all those dazzling 3-D pyrotechnics.

Unlike their normal fare, DreamWorks has managed to avoid its usual formulaic set pieces and come up with a mature romance that leaves most viewers (and adults) smiling through moist eyes. Stoick and Valka are a married couple reunited after 20 years and “For the Dancing and the Dreaming” is a moving ode to love and longing. Even the most jaded viewers couldn’t help but be touched by this renewal of lovers’ vows after a long parting.

While the movie is primarily aimed at audiences below 15, you don’t really have to be a child to enjoy it. A lot of teens loved it and so did most of the adults who watched it. HTTYD 2 certainly doesn’t talk down to its viewers!

Fans of the franchise loved the strong female characters – something animated movies aren’t really known for. Valka is a reclusive vigilante on a mission to protect dragons from evil humans; Astrid is an expert dragon rider and resourceful fighter and is Hiccup’s equal in every sense. Valka and Astrid might be the only significant female characters in the movie but they end up dominating the canvas.

Viewers are confronted by some pleasant and not-so-pleasant surprises (spoiler alert!) – Valka turns out to be none other than Hiccup’s long-lost mother; Gobber comes out of the closet and Toothless is tricked into killing Stoick.

Those looking for a movie with a heart, but put off by maudlin tearjerkers are sure to find HTTYD 2 pretty moving. The father-son relationship between Stoick and Hiccup is sensitively brought forth in all its nuances without giving way to clichés. Stoick is the alpha male whose pride as a Viking chief demands that his son prove his fighting credentials. Between him and the nerdy Hiccup exists a wide gulf that can only be bridged with love and tolerance and they do manage to bridge it in the end.

All in all, How to Train your Dragon packs a punch that leaves audiences reeling but gasping for more.

Female Characters in How to Train your Dragon 2

 

Photo Courtesy - School of Dragons

If you loved the heart-warming animation flick How to Train your Dragon (2010), you’re definitely looking forward to its sequel, the second installment of the planned Viking-dragon trilogy. According to reports, most of the characters from the original are set to reprise their memorable roles in the second movie, but you’ll also see a few new faces. Here’s a quick look at the important female characters you can expect to see in How to Train your Dragon 2, both old and new.

Astrid

Astrid Hofferson is a teenage girl and a top student at the Dragon Training Academy, which she attends along with Hiccup and other young Vikings. She’s tough, good looking and completely unimpressed by Hiccup’s secret shenanigans with Toothless. Soon, however, she becomes a fellow conspirator in Hiccup’s plan to bring peace between the Vikings and the dragons and secretly develops a crush on the nerdy son of the Viking chief. This spunky chick is a natural at dragon slaying and has plenty of physical strength and cunning required for the job. 

Surprisingly, Astrid does not appear in the book series, though she seems to be loosely based on Camicazi, an important female character in the books. When you see her next, she’ll be 20 years old, Hiccup’s longtime girlfriend and one of the main protagonists in How to Train your Dragon 2. There’s a definite reversal of roles when it comes to Astrid and Hiccup. Astrid is the active and aggressive fighter, while Hiccup is the sensitive thinker who feels things more strongly than others. Like her personality, Astrid’s appearance too has undergone a process of refinement in the sequel. Her hair seems to be sleeker and her outfit trendier, though her shoulder pads and trusty battle axe appear to be unchanged.

Valka

We finally get to meet Hiccup’s long lost mother in How to Train your Dragon 2, though she’s mentioned several times in the prequel. We first see Valka as she saves kidnapped dragons from the evil Eret and hides them in a secret Arctic cave. Her life is spent among dragons; she knows their ways and is privy to their secrets. Valka has a well-earned reputation for being crazy – she prefers the company of dragons to that of humans and has even learned to communicate with them in non-verbal ways. In the war between dragons and Vikings, Valka certainly knows whose side she’s on – her sympathies lie with the fire-breathing monsters and she finds it hard to trust humans. Hiccup admires her tremendously and looks up to her, although he doesn’t always understand her. Valka and her son share a love for dragons and both are expert dragon riders. 

Both Astrid and Valka are important characters in How to Train your Dragon 2, a crucial to the evolution of the plot.

Riders of Berk – All About DreamWorks’ Dragons

We have always been fascinated with dragons. Something about these winged creatures elicits reactions of awe and fascination among kids and adults alike. No surprise, then, that one of the most popular American computer-animated TV series revolves around these fire-breathing wonders! Yes, we’re talking about ‘DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk’! 

Riders of Berk – A Quick Synopsis 

Based on the 2010 blockbuster ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk’ picks up from where the movie left off. It bridges the gap between the first film – HTTYD – and its sequel ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’, slated for a June 2014 release. The series premiered in September 2012 on Cartoon Network. ‘Riders of Berk’ features most of the cast from the hit film, including Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, T. J. Miller, and David Tennant. While the movie sees Hiccup successfully establishing peace between the Vikings and dragons of Berk, the TV series follows Hiccup’s journey, travails, and challenges that such a situation brings with it. 

In this show, Berk also sees the establishment of a unique Dragon Training Academy, helmed by Hiccup. The academy serves to help Vikings adapt to and understand their new companions – the dragons! The series highlights the various trials that Hiccup and the rest of his friends must face – from dragons that cannot be trained to new enemies who threaten to shatter the harmony between Vikings and dragons. 

Riders of Berk: Meet the Vikings 

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III: Son of Stoick the Vast, Hiccup was first the misfit who couldn’t slay a dragon. Now, he is the leader of the Dragon Academy who helps all the kids tame and train dragons! 

Stoick the Vast: The leader of Berk’s Hooligans, Stoick is both intimidating and caring! A valiant warrior, his sole objective is to care for all the inhabitants of Berk and keep them safe. 

Astrid Hofferson: Fearless, striking, and confident, Astrid is the second-in-command at the Dragon Academy. Hiccup’s close friend and love interest, she is shown to be tough but caring. 

Gobber the Belch: Berk’s blacksmith, Gobber is also Hiccup’s mentor. With an enviable knowledge on dragons and an impressive reputation as a dragon slayer, he becomes the veterinarian once peace is established between dragons and Vikings. 

Fishlegs Ingerman: While Fishlegs is generally afraid of putting himself in any kind of dangerous situation, he loves learning everything about dragons. While Hiccup chooses riskier routes, Fishlegs prefers to bury himself in books. 

Snotlout Jorgenson: An overconfident, vain bully, Snotlout is constantly trying to woo Astrid. While he believes he is a great warrior and dragon rider, his skills are average at best. 

Bucket: One of Berk’s farmers, Bucket is named after the bucket that he wears on his head, the result of a blow to his head while battling a dragon. Having suffered a memory loss, Bucket requires constant supervision. 

Mulch: Another Viking farmer, Mulch is independent and intelligent, a contrast to the soft-hearted Bucket. He is responsible for producing and collecting food for the village. 

Alvin the Treacherous: The primary recurring antagonist of the series, Alvin is both impatient and merciless. He aims to capture Hiccup and displace Stoick to become the chief of Berk. 

Mildew: Spiteful and a recluse, Mildew’s hatred towards dragons is extreme. While he is disliked by most Berk residents, he is clever and patient and can swing people’s opinions in his favor. 

Riding high on the success of DreamWorks’ hit animated film ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, ‘Riders of Berk’ was received enthusiastically by fans and critics alike. All eyes are now glued on ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’, the much-awaited sequel of the hit first installment. Going by DreamWorks’ track record, this one’s sure to be a winner as well!