How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Year: 2019

Director: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, and Craig Ferguson
Tagline: Their Final Quest

Synopsis: Although Hiccup has succeeded in making Berk a dragon/viking utopia, a new threat emerges to threaten all of them and their way of life.

Review

It is no easy feat to tie up a trilogy.  Some do it well (LOTR, Toy Story, the original Star Wars).  Others ... not so much (Pirates of the Caribbean, Shrek, Spider-Man).  I'm pleased to say that The Hidden World is an enjoyable, fitting, and emotionally satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy.

I really liked the movie.  And if you liked the previous installments, you should definitely go see it.  Take the family and see it.  Enjoy one more flight with Hiccup and Toothless.

That said, the movie has its flaws.  And there were a few things that were disappointing.  Let's get those out of the way so we can get back to what was good.

I like all three How to Train Your Dragon movies.  But let's face it, they all have a rather similar plot: someone wants to kill/enslave dragons, Hiccup tries to stop them, Hiccup fails, Toothless is captured, Hiccup goes through character growth in order to save Toothless and everybody else, Toothless does something awesome, the enemy is thwarted.  Yes, there are variations.  But that sums up all three movies.

I've never understood the point of characters who are purposefully annoying.  Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut are actually more annoying in this film (Fishlegs is fine and likable).  The trilogy has covered six years; how have none of them matured even the slightest bit?  Ruffnut and his beard and advice get old really quickly.  And I'm not entirely sure what was up between Snotlout, Eret, and Valka.

Which leads me to another point.  We get a lot of Hiccup's peers, but not very much of Eret or Valka, both of whom are far more interesting.  Eret is basically in the movie for two reasons: 1) to offer backstory for the villain, and 2) because he is voiced by Kit Harrington who is now fairly famous thanks to his role in Game of Thrones.  Valka at least has a bit more to do, and it does make sense for her to still be rather awkward in her relationship with Hiccup.

My biggest grievance with the film was the music.  The first movie has an amazing soundtrack with all sorts of epic and exciting themes.  The second movie carried those over.  I kept waiting for them in the third movie ... and they kept not coming.  The music isn't bad, but it isn't the epic music I wanted.  It seemed like only one theme was reused, and not until the third act.  Why?!

Sorry, enough complaints.

One thing I really liked in this film was Grimmel, the dragon hunter.  Visually, he is a total opposite of Stoick and Drago.  They were massive and dark-haired where Grimmel is skinny and light-haired.  Where the previous antagonists were the kind to barrel in with brute force, Grimmel is calm and calculating.  He uses ingenuity rather than force.  And he always seems to be one step ahead of everyone else.  He was a fitting villain for this final chapter.

The highlight of all three films is the relationship between Hiccup and Toothless.  That is no different this time.  Their playful banter is the heart of the film.  And Toothless is as endearing as ever, especially when he is trying so hard to woo the Light Fury.  She is an interesting character, although we never get much of her personality.

Also good is the continuing relationship between Hiccup and Astrid.  Gobber awkwardly tries to move them along toward matrimony.  Valka wisely encourages Astrid to help and stand by Hiccup when all is going wrong.

Lastly, The Hidden World is beautiful.  The visuals in this one are simply amazing.  Whether we are in the midst of a fight or other action scene or flying through the hidden world, the details are incredible.  And the world is so rich with details, many of which are the "blink and you'll miss it" kind.  It's definitely a film to experience on the big screen.

I won't spoil the ending (although if you watch the trailers, you can figure out what is bound to happen).  Suffice it to say, the ending is perfect.  Completely perfect.

The film is rated PG for pretty much the same reasons as the previous one.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is a fun, beautiful, and exciting film.  And although it isn't perfect, it is still a fitting finale to a beloved trilogy.  I definitely recommend it.  And stay through the credits.  The first part has scenes from Hiccup and Toothless' friendship from all three movies.  Then the scrolling credits have fun animated drawings that fit with each department (e.g., I roughly drawn viking painting a landscape for the Backgrounds crew).  There isn't a scene at the end; the credits are just fun.

*** Spoiler Section ***

From the first scene on Berk, we quickly realize that Hiccup has created an enjoyable, but ultimately unsustainable society.  There are dragons everywhere.  Big dragons knocking over buildings.  Small dragons getting in the stew.  Happy as the Berk vikings may be, their way of life cannot continue on its current trajectory.  It's a good setup, one that makes the ending -- though heartbreaking -- unavoidable.

I wish the trailers hadn't made the ending so clear.  They made it fairly obvious that the trilogy would end with Hiccup and Toothless having to part ways.  While the ending still tugs at the heartstrings and gets some eye allergies going, it lost some of its impact by being a foregone confusion before even the previews roll.  Perhaps it was meant to soften the blow?  I think audiences can be trusted more than that.

Apparently, Drago (the villain from the second film) was supposed to return for this film.  He was decidedly not killed off at the end of the movie; he simply disappeared.  (Although we know where his alpha dragon went, which was a nice touch.)  Drago would have returned and ultimately have been redeemed.  But, the studio decided that would take too much additional time and the story line was scrapped.  Too bad.

Even without that, the finale of The Hidden World is perfect.  It is then wonderful to see (new) Berk rebuilt with buildings paying homage to their dragons.  It's also fun to see Hiccup and Astrid finish growing up and get married.  And it's awesome to see them, years later, take their children to reconnect with Toothless and his family.  I cannot think of a better way to end the trilogy.

Quotable Quotes

• "There were dragons, when I was a boy." -- Hiccup
• "It's you and me, bud.  Always." -- Hiccup to Toothless
• "Not a word." -- Hiccup, after having been knocked off Toothless by the Light Fury
• "I feel like I'm always asking this, but is there an actual plan?" -- Gobber to Hiccup
• "You need to lose the limp."  "I have a prosthetic leg!" -- Ruffnut and Hiccup
• "So, what are you going to do about it?"  "Probably something stupid."  "That's the Hiccup I know." -- Astrid and Hiccup

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

Year: 2019

Director: Mike Mitchell
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Tiffany Haddish, and Stephanie Beatriz
Tagline: They come in pieces

Synopsis: Five years after the first movie, everything is not awesome in Bricksburg, now Apocalypseburg. When a mysterious visitor kidnaps his friends, Emmett must set out to rescue them before Our-Mom-Ageddon.

Review

Frenetic: fast and energetic in a rather wild and uncontrolled way.  Also, the word that best describes The LEGO Movie 2.

Like its predecessor, LM2 is a wild ride of pop culture references, colorful animation, and catchy songs.  It's funny and enjoyable, and requires multiple viewings to catch it all.  The animation is still top notch.  Kids will love it.  Adults will likely find plenty of things to enjoy (such as a certain air duct cameo). 

Also like the first movie, the film has a real world story that ties in.  That story is good, and has a satisfactory, makes-ya-smile conclusion.  The only problem with it is that it isn't a surprise this time.  The first movie only hinted that there was a reality outside of the LEGO world.  So when real world Will Ferrell walked down the stairs, the entire movie changed and was put into a new perspective.  This movie didn't have the chance for such a dramatic reveal.  As clever as the "Sis-star System" is, we always knew where this would lead and how it would likely wrap up.  It was emotionally satisfying, but it didn't have the same impact as the first movie.

I did enjoy LM2.  It is funny and at times quite clever.  But the entire time I was comparing it to the first movie, and it simply couldn't compare.  The satirical elements and self-referential jokes were there, but they weren't as on point.  The "Catchy Tune" was no worse musically than "Everything Is Awesome," but it had no substance.  OK, "Everything Is Awesome" isn't really substantive, but it relayed a lot about who Emmett was and the world he lived in.  So it fit the story.  "Catchy Tune" is a hollow song simply designed to "get stuck inside your head."  And it does.

The first film also had clear themes.  It was about the reconciliation of a father and son; about learning to work together, which sometimes means following "the instructions"; and that we all have unique traits that can make us "special" as we use them to contribute to the team. 

This film is about, um, being yourself ... so long as being yourself is in line with everyone else and involves glitter and sparkles and catchy pop tunes.  No, that can't be it.  It's about how we all need to toughen up and be brooding and cynical, because that couldn't possibly backfire and be disastrous.  Hmm.  It's about how we shouldn't end up cynical and brooding ... that we should all be kumbaya happy and just get along ... that females can be just as horrible communicators as males ... I'm not really sure what the moral of the story is.  I guess it's that brothers and sisters should learn to get along and that they shouldn't leave LEGOs on the floor.

I know, that's a bit harsh.  Perhaps my expectations were too high after the first movie.  But while LM2 is fun and enjoyable, it's about as empty as its "Catchy Tune."

The film is rated PG for pretty much the same reasons as the first one.

The LEGO Movie 2 is a fun, wild ride of a movie.  It's very funny.  And the human storyline has heart.  Go see it.  Take the kiddos to see it.  Just don't have expectations that it will be as good as the first movie.

*** Spoiler Section ***

Time travel is always tricky.  I did love all the time machines Rex stole parts from in order to make his own.  And I loved that it was in the shape of a destructive fist.  But the time-space continuum logic there at the end ... I don't think it quite worked.  Maybe it does.  It's making my head hurt to try and figure it out.

My biggest gripe with LM2 started in the trailers.  General Mayhem breaks in and asks who the fiercest warrior is.  Lucy tells about how Emmett saved the world.  But then Mayhem points out that Lucy did all the building and fighting, and they leave it there with Emmett coming across as the hapless male (which he kinda sorta is).  At no point (that I recall) do they remember how Emmett was the one who brought them all together to work as a team and that without him, none of what Lucy did would have mattered.  Moreover, all the other Bricksburg citizens have forgotten how to be special and work together.  And never once is it mentioned that Emmett sacrificed his life to save his friends and all of Bricksburg.  Lucy is great.  And she does a lot of great things and is a likable character.  But undermining what Emmett did does not somehow make her more heroic by the contrast.  (That's a part of Hollywood "feminism" I can't stand. <gets off soapbox>)

Quotable Quotes

• "With Batman gone and Marvel not returning our calls ..." -- Gandalf
• "Emmett! Did you draw stubble dots on your face?" "What?  No." -- Lucy and Emmett
• "Behold, the Sis-star System." "Whooooa!" "No 'whoas'! Do not giver her the satisfaction of whoaing this." "Ooooohhh!" "That's even worse." "Ahhhh!" "Stop it!" -- General Mayhem, Unikitty, Metal Beard, Batman, Benny, and Lucy
• "Bruce Willis?" "I, uh, spend a lot of time in air ducts." -- Lucy and Bruce Willis

The Kid Who Would Be King

Year: 2019

Director: Joe Cornish
Starring: Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Dean Chaumoo, Tom Taylor, Rhianna Dorris, Angus Imrie, Patrick Stewart, and Rebecca Ferguson
Tagline: Evil gets schooled

Synopsis: While running away from bullies, Alexander finds a sword in a stone and pulls it out.  Soon Merlin arrives to tell him it is up to him and his friends to save the world from the return of Morgana (King Arthur's evil half-sister).

Review

This isn't a widely known movie.  Which is too bad, because it is really enjoyable and a good family film.

The story is a modern reimagining of the Arthur legends.  The film even begins by recounting the applicable stories about King Arthur through an animated storybook sequence.  Cut to the modern day world where history is about to repeat itself and a new hero must arise.

The film has a good story with some clever dialogue and relatable characters.  It also has a timely message about working together.  In his quest, Alexander enlists the help of two bullies who constantly pick on him and his friend.  He sees their potential as allies and they slowly learn to get along and then work together.  By the end, enemies have become friends.  And because it is so tied up into the narrative, the moral never feels heavy handed.  Each character also has their own arc where they have to learn and grow and overcome their weaknesses.

The actors playing the kids all do a good job.  Young Merlin was a bit odd, but then that was what they were going for.  His quirkiness worked for a medieval person in modern day Britain.  But I found myself more drawn to Merlin when he was older and portrayed by Patrick Stewart.

It is fairly clear that The Kid Who Would Be King didn't have a blockbuster budget to work with.  The visuals aren't bad, but they are limited.  One interesting segment involves some obligatory training for the young heroes.  It's like they weren't taught to wield a sword in middle school or something.  What's fun about the scene is that they are fighting against, and being taught by, trees.  Not talking trees, just moving trees with lots of branches.  The animation at the beginning was also quite good.

About the only thing I didn't like about the movie was the musical score.  It was merely adequate.  The film deserved a more epic soundtrack.  The one it got felt more like the temp track used while the real score was being written.

The film is rated PG for some action (mostly the destruction of flaming skeletons) and mild peril (mostly from flaming skeletons ... and a dragon).  I don't recall any swearing.  We do see young Merlin without clothes on.  But it is from a distance and there is a convenient layer of low fog obscuring his behind.

Ultimately, The Kid Who Would Be King is a story about people (in this case kids) coming together to right that which is wrong and triumph over the things that would otherwise destroy our world.  It's a timely message in a fun film.  It may not be an instant classic, but it's worth watching.

*** Spoiler Section ***

The false climax and aftermath both worked and didn't work.  It worked within the story itself.  But if you'd seen any of the trailers, you knew some very important scenes hadn't yet happened.

Although I liked how the movie wrapped up -- it was quite fitting for the story and the moral -- I did want to know a bit more about the battle's aftermath.  Was everything magically cleaned up?  Don't any of the other school kids have a million questions?

Quotable Quotes

• "Where did you learn how to drive?"  "Mario Kart." -- Bedders and Kaye
• "We're the knights of the round table!"  "You are such a nerd."  Alexander and Kaye
• "All hail the king!" "Don't, it's just embarrassing." -- Lance (kneeling) and Alexander
• "We are history.  They are the future!" -- Merlin to Morgana