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Sheckler
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- Review count2
- Helpfulness votes2
- First reviewJanuary 2, 2010
- Last reviewMay 25, 2010
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3
Sheckler's Reviews
Overall rating
5
/
5
Better Than the Book??
PostedMay 25, 2010
Sheckler
from New York
A great film, surprising considering Dreamworks' reputation for dry flops. Fluid animation, great character developments all around, and the visuals are gorgeous even without 3D (until the flight scenes), this was a great treat for any animal-film enthusiast. The composer and the latest former-Disney addition to the team seem to be a good move! Step off, Pete's Dragon and Dragonheart, here comes the Nightfury!
Unlike the story this claims to be based off, HTTYD is a heartfelt film about the usual out-of-place protagonist who wants to please the crowd but finds it'll take more mind and soul over matter to do what's really important to being able to respect himself rather than seek respect from others. Hiccup is intelligent and a bit confused about where he belongs, but upon injuring a rather rare dragon, he tries to aid it when it spares his life in return for sparing it. In secret, they very slowly form an unlikely bond that eventually goes beyond "training" a dragon and more coming to a compromise with it. In spite of the obvious cat/dog/bat-like characteristics, there is a knowing intelligence behind those dragon eyes thanks to the spectacular animators and creature design. The usual human-animal-bond theme is present, but nothing feels forced. Even the jokes are skimmed over in place of progressing the story, something the writer of the books this is lo-o-osely based off of could learn.
Brief note about having tried the book this was named for: The dragons talk, are sociopathic, Toothless is a spoiled annoying runt, Hiccup is a selfish kid who steals the dragon while its sleeping in its cave to force it to his will, wondering why it doesn't want to obey his every whim so he can pass some test or risk his own father banishing him to potential death to keep the blood of the tribe strong, and there are no female characters...in a book about Vikings. There are also illustrations, but they're horrid, usually irrelevant, and splattered across nearly every page to boost the page count...and make the reader get a headache. And we're not even discussing the age-level confusing writing or the toilet humor littered throughout that'll please only the most immature 5-year-old...or someone who's rammed his head into a wall a few times too many.
I normally enjoy reading a book when I hear it was made into a movie, but this was the second book I've read in my life where the movie wins by leaps and bounds. There was just so much more meaning put into that film.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
1
/
5
Double rip off by Cameron
PostedJanuary 2, 2010
Sheckler
First the pros. This movie was very pretty. The 3d was impressive.
Now the cons. Everything else in this film. It was a condescending, insulting, derivative piece that brought nothing new (story-wise). 2 1/2 hours of America sucks, you people watching this movie are all bad people, feel guilty and expire, but hey, look at the pretty colors! If you want to know what it was to watch this film, watch Ferngully and Dances with Wolves , then the ending of Return of the Jedi while straining your eyes in funny glasses. It took Cameron 10 freakin' years to rip off a bad kids movie and a bad Lucas ending.
Now the cons. Everything else in this film. It was a condescending, insulting, derivative piece that brought nothing new (story-wise). 2 1/2 hours of America sucks, you people watching this movie are all bad people, feel guilty and expire, but hey, look at the pretty colors! If you want to know what it was to watch this film, watch Ferngully and Dances with Wolves , then the ending of Return of the Jedi while straining your eyes in funny glasses. It took Cameron 10 freakin' years to rip off a bad kids movie and a bad Lucas ending.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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