Post by Unitedmoviemaker on Jun 13, 2014 22:50:54 GMT -5
HTTYD 2 Spoiler Free Review by Unitedmoviemaker
Intro:
This is it. This is the movie we've been waiting for! The years have seem to gone by so quickly now. Anticipation has led us to this, but was it worth it in the end? Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: Let me explain...
Story:
The first How To Train Your Dragon had a great story; even if some say it's base was done so many times before. It could be both energetic and happy as well as dark and saddening. The successor is even more so. With joyful moments to please anyone who's been paying attention and gloomy moments to make us all miserable. The movie springs forward into action almost immediately (it would have been immediate if it weren't for those pesky opening studio credits!). There are some issues with pacing, with most of it feeling like it would work for a slightly to much longer movie. All the characters are updated, more than just visually. They have demeanor that tells us what's changed in the last five years (at least what's changed for ones we've known previously). There are some other things that should have been explained a bit more (of course, I'm not talking about that in a spoiler free review!). Other than some pacing and explanation issues, this story is solid.
Visuals:
I had the privilege to see this movie in 3D and it was very much worth it. The wide open shots they use throughout the movie are just one reason that this movie was designed for 3D. The other visuals are gorgeous, with the water and lighting effects getting the most attention of me (at first viewing, of course). Again comparing the first movie, the flight scenes were another big reason for 3D. This sequel makes clever use of the technology once again, providing plenty of depth way up in the sky. The landscapes have better variety this time, going from tall, grassy cliffs to bleak, icy tundras. It's difficult to give criticism in the Visuals department due to everything said previously. Perhaps someone with a better eye could nitpick about tiny “problems” with certain textures of things, but this reviewer isn't gonna do that (or even attempt it). There's nothing apparently wrong to the average person who views this film. So, case closed here.
Sound:
The soundtrack in the first installment of the franchise is debatably regarded as one the of the very best scores in recent years. This soundtrack, even though not immensely better in every way imaginable, is still a winner. With the right amount of “weight” to bring scenes alive, Mr. Powell has done another good job. Personally, there's at least one song or two that might feel a bit out of place at first listen, but those will probably be the ones that are more enjoyed later on. The cast does a great job reprising their roles. For the ones who are new, those are also performed very well. Other than a questionable initial criticism, the sound is outstanding.
Presentation:
What does this package provide collectively? Well, it includes a solid story, almost life-like visuals, and excellent soundtrack and voice work. Dreamworks has definitely put a ton of effort in the production of this movie. You can see this in the quality of their work. They seem to try to get everything almost perfect (because total perfection is impossible). Dreamworks even went out of their way to develop a special animation software to make it easier to get richer effects out of the animation. As mentioned before, it works, very well. The world of Dragon is much larger than it felt in the previous movie with more changes in scenery than before. The lore of dragons is also updated with new, never before seen species. With that said, only a few of the new dragons get the compliment of attention, while some are mentioned for a brief second (when the time seemed opportune for some interesting introduction) and never discussed again. After leaving the theater, viewers might feel really overwhelmed because of the last third of the movie. There is a lot to discuss about this specific section of the film (but not here!). Overall, I would easily recommend this to pretty much anyone. It is definitely a movie that will linger on the mind long after the initial viewing, whether it be because of the gripping story or stunning visuals. So, if you are a person who is planning on seeing a movie this summer, you might want to see this one. Sure, some movies this summer are going have giant robots or famous superheros, but this movie...has dragons.
Intro:
This is it. This is the movie we've been waiting for! The years have seem to gone by so quickly now. Anticipation has led us to this, but was it worth it in the end? Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: Let me explain...
Story:
The first How To Train Your Dragon had a great story; even if some say it's base was done so many times before. It could be both energetic and happy as well as dark and saddening. The successor is even more so. With joyful moments to please anyone who's been paying attention and gloomy moments to make us all miserable. The movie springs forward into action almost immediately (it would have been immediate if it weren't for those pesky opening studio credits!). There are some issues with pacing, with most of it feeling like it would work for a slightly to much longer movie. All the characters are updated, more than just visually. They have demeanor that tells us what's changed in the last five years (at least what's changed for ones we've known previously). There are some other things that should have been explained a bit more (of course, I'm not talking about that in a spoiler free review!). Other than some pacing and explanation issues, this story is solid.
Visuals:
I had the privilege to see this movie in 3D and it was very much worth it. The wide open shots they use throughout the movie are just one reason that this movie was designed for 3D. The other visuals are gorgeous, with the water and lighting effects getting the most attention of me (at first viewing, of course). Again comparing the first movie, the flight scenes were another big reason for 3D. This sequel makes clever use of the technology once again, providing plenty of depth way up in the sky. The landscapes have better variety this time, going from tall, grassy cliffs to bleak, icy tundras. It's difficult to give criticism in the Visuals department due to everything said previously. Perhaps someone with a better eye could nitpick about tiny “problems” with certain textures of things, but this reviewer isn't gonna do that (or even attempt it). There's nothing apparently wrong to the average person who views this film. So, case closed here.
Sound:
The soundtrack in the first installment of the franchise is debatably regarded as one the of the very best scores in recent years. This soundtrack, even though not immensely better in every way imaginable, is still a winner. With the right amount of “weight” to bring scenes alive, Mr. Powell has done another good job. Personally, there's at least one song or two that might feel a bit out of place at first listen, but those will probably be the ones that are more enjoyed later on. The cast does a great job reprising their roles. For the ones who are new, those are also performed very well. Other than a questionable initial criticism, the sound is outstanding.
Presentation:
What does this package provide collectively? Well, it includes a solid story, almost life-like visuals, and excellent soundtrack and voice work. Dreamworks has definitely put a ton of effort in the production of this movie. You can see this in the quality of their work. They seem to try to get everything almost perfect (because total perfection is impossible). Dreamworks even went out of their way to develop a special animation software to make it easier to get richer effects out of the animation. As mentioned before, it works, very well. The world of Dragon is much larger than it felt in the previous movie with more changes in scenery than before. The lore of dragons is also updated with new, never before seen species. With that said, only a few of the new dragons get the compliment of attention, while some are mentioned for a brief second (when the time seemed opportune for some interesting introduction) and never discussed again. After leaving the theater, viewers might feel really overwhelmed because of the last third of the movie. There is a lot to discuss about this specific section of the film (but not here!). Overall, I would easily recommend this to pretty much anyone. It is definitely a movie that will linger on the mind long after the initial viewing, whether it be because of the gripping story or stunning visuals. So, if you are a person who is planning on seeing a movie this summer, you might want to see this one. Sure, some movies this summer are going have giant robots or famous superheros, but this movie...has dragons.
