Synopsis: This movie centers around the fight for peace. Hiccup, the main character, explains that his father reminded him of his responsibility as heir to the chief of their people. Hiccup believes that he is not ready to lead because his personality is different from his father, and he takes a journey throughout the movie to figure out who he is. Along the way, Hiccup meets his mother, encounters dragon hunters and is forced to fight against a dragon army in order to save his people and the dragons.
Positives: While the movie encounters emotional highs and lows, the two main themes in the movie are about perseverance and protecting peace. There are several incredible scenes of graphics as Hiccup and Toothless soar through the sky. Also, the movie did not feature an overdramatic explanation or portrayal of evil, which makes it a good movie option for young children.
Negatives: In my opinion, there were too many “mini-stories” throughout the movie that caused the movie to drag in places. However, if my only complaint is that a movie that lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes felt slow for 10 minutes, I’d conclude the movie was well done, overall.
Spiritual Application: While the Gospel is not mentioned in the movie, it would be an excellent opportunity for parents to explain to their children that there is a spiritual battle for peace. Throughout life, the battle will weigh us down in attempts to make us stand still if we don’t continually turn to God for His strength, peace and perseverance.
Rating: I would rate this movie a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Photo Credit: DreamWorks