Yes, the dragons are really, really cute....
First, a warning: If you can’t get over funny names stop now.
We good? Good.
Hiccup (I warned you) voiced by Jay Baruchel is the son of not just the leader of the Vikinkgs, but a Das Uber Viking, Stoic, grumbled out by Gerad Butler (I’d rather see him doing just about anything rather than the rom-com fiasco known as “The Bounty Hunter” out now.)
Hiccup, like most children’s animated movie heroes, is misunderstood, smaller and more thoughtful than the rest of his bloodthirsty tribe, including his love interest, Astrid, played by “Ugly Betty’s” America Ferrera.
There are no surprises in this movie. You are expect two misfits to come together and that’s just what happens.
But now I have good news – you are your child will like it. Perhaps even love watching the two interact. Digital animation has reached a point where just simple facial expressions (Hiccup letting out a shaky breath) gets laughs, because you’ve done the same thing yourself. You want Hiccup and his dragon, Toothless to succeed.
Oh, did I say there’s no surprise? I found the message on overcoming handicaps to be touching and uplifting, much in the way Nemo’s “lucky fin” did a decade ago.
I didn’t go see it in 3-D, so I can’t tell you how the effects are, but don’t worry, there are roughly ten zillion more three dimensional movies on the horizon.
If your kid wants to see this movie, then by all means go and enjoy. Just be prepared to have them begging you to purchase a dragon doll immediately after. Them dragons is cute.
