How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 3D computer-animated fantasy film by DreamWorks Animation loosely based on the 2003 book of the same name. The film stars the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score at the 83rd Academy Awards, which it lost to Toy Story 3 and The Social Network, respectively. The movie also won ten Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature.
The story takes place in a mythical Viking world where a young Viking teenager named Hiccup aspires to follow his tribe's tradition of becoming a dragon slayer. After finally capturing his first dragon, and with his chance at finally gaining the tribe's acceptance, he finds that he no longer has the desire to kill it and instead befriends it.
The film was released March 26, 2010, to positive reviews. The film grossed nearly $500 million worldwide and became DreamWorks Animation's fifth most successful film in the United States and Canada (behind the Shrek film series).
Movie SynopsisHiccup, the son of the village Chief, Stoick the Vast, is an apprentice to Gobber the Belch, the village blacksmith, and he lives on the island of Berk. For 300 years, the island of Berk has been plagued by attacks from dragons that steal their livestock and burn their buildings. During a raid, Hiccup uses a cannon contraption he invented and shoots a rare dragon called a Night Fury. After the dragon raid, Stoick and a fleet of Vikings set off to seek the dragons' nest, the place where dragons live. Before he leaves, Gobber encourages him to put Hiccup in dragon training.
Hiccup searches for the downed dragon he had shot down in the forest. He finally finds the creature, but unable to kill the helpless dragon, Hiccup instead cuts it free; the dragon pins Hiccup down and briefly roars at him before disappearing into the forest. Hiccup almost gets killed by a Gronckle on his first day of dragon training. Gobber saves Hiccup, and tells him that a dragon will always go for the kill. Hiccup returns to the forest, wondering why didn't the Night Fury kill him. He finds the Night Fury, and sees that it is unable to leave a shallow glade due to a tail injury that prevents it from flying. By trial and error, Hiccup discovers a way to earn the dragon's trust and begins to care for it. He names the Night Fury "Toothless," for its retractable teeth. Soon after, Hiccup fashions a make-shift harness and prosthetic tail that allows him to guide the dragon in free flight.
Hiccup is able to transfer his dragon training knowledge to the other species of dragons at school, appearing to conquer each one in battle and becoming the star pupil, much to Astrid (another girl in dragon training whom Hiccup has a crush on)'s dismay, and Hiccup gets the chance to kill a dragon in front of the entire village. One day when following Hiccup to discover his secret, Astrid is shocked to learn the truth and attempts to escape to tell the rest of the village. However, she is kidnapped by Hiccup and Toothless and taken on a flight that first terrifies and then charms her. As night falls, the two teenagers suddenly find themselves flown straight into the dragon's nest by a lured Toothless, where the truth behind the dragons' constant raids of their village is revealed - a gigantic dragon lives off the food they bring back. If the dragons don't bring enough food back, it attacks and eats the dragons instead. Hiccup convinces Astrid that they shouldn't tell his father yet, for fear of what the other Vikings might do to Toothless and the other dragons.
Hiccup is put to his final exam the next day, but he does not kill the dragon, instead, he tries to pacify the dragon set upon him. Stoick attempts to stop the battle, banging his hammer on the metal protective cage of the Kill Ring, which inadvertently angers the dragon, endangering Hiccup. Toothless hears Hiccup's cries, and flies in to save him, but ends up being captured by the other Vikings. Hiccup accidentally reveals his knowledge of the dragons' nest, and gives his father an idea on how to find it. Stoick disowns his son and sets off with another fleet, using a restrained Toothless as their guide. Hiccup falls into despair, wishing he had killed Toothless, and believing it would've been better for everyone, because all the warriors in his tribe are heading to the dragons' nest in ignorance of the giant dragon that awaits them there. He shares his feelings with Astrid, and she inspires Hiccup, showing him that his mercy towards Toothless was actually an act of bravery, and not a sign of weakness. Hiccup concocts a plan to try and save the Vikings with the help of the dragons kept for training, and the other teenagers. After releasing the dragons, they ride them to the island of the dragon's nest.
Meanwhile, the fleet have already arrived at the nest, and are surprised to see the dragons flying away, and think that they have won the battle. Stoick sees Toothless trying to break free, and knows that there is still something dangerous in the nest. The giant dragon breaks out of the mountain, setting fire to the Viking ships, with Toothless on one of them. The young Vikings arrive. Fishlegs, Snotlout (two boys in dragon training), Ruffnut and Tuffnut(a pair of twins also in dragon training) distract the giant dragon while Hiccup goes to save Toothless. Hiccup tries to free Toothless, but the giant dragon whips it's tail in the water knocking Hiccup and Toothless in the water. Hiccup almost drowns but is saved by Stoick, who also frees Toothless as well. Hiccup and Toothless are chased by the giant dragon, and fly up into the foggy sky (turning Toothless invisible, because Night Furies appear invisible in the dark). With the tail Hiccup made for Toothless on fire, the two lead the giant dragon into a head-first dive. Toothless turns around at the last minute to and shoots a fire ball into the giant dragon's mouth, and it crashes into the ground, causing an explosion. Hiccup can no longer control Toothless, since Toothless's fake tail has fallen off, and Toothless also cannot control his flight, and they crash into the giant dragon's tail. Hiccup falls off Toothless, with Toothless diving into the flames after him.
Movie Trailer
How to Train Your Dragon Trailer
Movie CreditDirectors: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Writers: William Davies (screenplay), Dean DeBlois (screenplay)
Stars: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler and Christopher Mintz-Plasse
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