How to Train your Dragon.

When I first saw the trailer for How to Train your Dragon I was skeptical. It looked liked your average kids film. Boy was I wrong. This movie was amazing. The voice acting was great, the music was great, and the story was surprisingly deep. Everyone, including adults, will find something they love about this film. The only drawback is that it can get a little intense and scary at points, so I would recommend not taking children under the age of 6-7.

The film follows a young Viking named Hiccup who, unlike the other Vikings, is scrawny and more brains than brawn. Due to this, he is never allowed to help fight the dragons whenever they attack. One day, he builds a contraption to shoot dragons out of the sky and as luck would have it, it works. After seeing the injured dragon that he took down, he has a change of heart and lets it free. Thus a new friendship begins. Not to spoil anything, but this is one of the few movies that has made me cry.

The voice work was phenomenal. Hiccup and his father (voiced by Jay Baruchel and Gerard Butler respectively) are both great. With Hiccup, you get the feeling that he’s an out of the ordinary and not respected young man who wants to make a name for himself. Although he has minimal lines, Butler shows he has a knack for a more serious role. America Ferrera plays the love interest Astrid. She is portrayed as a tough character who wants to be the best, and she does a really good job of it. The comic relief is done very well, and never overstays its welcome. Snotlout (Jonah Hill), Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse/McLovin) and the fraternal twins Tuffnut and Ruffnut (TJ Miller and Kristen Wiig respectively). The humor is mostly physical, which works well in the Viking setting.

The cgi and camerawork were phenomenal, especially in 3D. I’m mostly against 3D in films, but the flying sequences (along with the accompanying music) were breathtaking. At one point, Toothless narrowly escapes a crash by pulling sharply up. When he pulls up, you can actually see the wind trailing behind his wings. The 3D was used to great effect and was not the gimmicky “throw stuff at the screen” type. It made you feel immersed in the universe. During one of the flying sequences, Toothless glides across the water and it “splashes” you. It's hard to explain, but it was a great immersive experience.

One of the movies strongest points was the music. John Powell has crafted an amazing score. The music that plays during the above mentioned flying sequences is some of the best I have heard in ages. It really makes you believe you’re flying too. I have had the main theme blasting on my computer for more than 2 hours. That alone should tell you how much I loved it.

There is really not much else I can say other than go see this movie. Make sure you see it in 3D. You will not be disappointed. It’s one of Dreamworks best movies in a long time.