HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

Yes. This is an exceptionally entertaining family adventure with beautiful animation, a well-written story, clever jokes, hilarious moments, and lovable human and dragon characters. Its strongest themes are bravery, courage, sacrifice, forgiveness, peace, family love, and the responsibility of serving others.

The film is especially inspiring in its portrait of a father who forgives, fights for his family, and protects his people. It also shows Hiccup moving toward manhood by embracing leadership instead of running from it. Those strengths are accompanied by tense action, some frightening dragons, brief references to pagan Viking gods, light environmentalist content, and a subtle homosexual joke.

You and your family should see it, especially if your children are older and can handle the action and scary images.

Five years after the first film, the Viking village of Berk lives peacefully alongside dragons, and nearly everyone has a dragon of their own. Hiccup, now growing into adulthood, is expected to become Berk’s next chief, though he would rather explore undiscovered territory with Toothless.

When Hiccup and Astrid uncover a threat involving captured dragons and an approaching war, Hiccup must decide what kind of man and leader he will become. Along the way, family secrets, new allies, and a dangerous enemy force him to rethink courage and responsibility.

Four stars means this sequel is a superb piece of family entertainment. The animation is among the best ever created, and the vast scope and scale of the world are truly remarkable. The story is richer and more inspiring than the first movie’s, with clever jokes, hilarious moments, and lovable characters.

The film’s emotional power comes from its themes of family, forgiveness, sacrifice, bravery, and leadership. One weakness is the mother’s motivation for staying away from the family for 20 years; her reasons and regret do not feel strong enough. Even so, this is an epic, moving, and extremely entertaining adventure.

The film’s dominant worldview is morally inspiring. Hiccup struggles to fill his father’s shoes because he doubts that he can match his father’s selflessness and bravery. Eventually, he embraces the responsibility of leadership. Though he does not always listen to his father, he looks up to him.

Stoick is presented as a particularly positive father figure. When he reunites with his long-lost wife, he responds not with anger but with love and forgiveness. The film also supports using violence as a last resort, being prepared to defend one’s people, and making redemptive sacrifices. Stoick’s loving, selfless protection of his family and the people of Berk is one of the movie’s most inspiring elements.

The film’s treatment of nature is less balanced. Its dragons are portrayed as innocent creatures whom humans corrupted, reflecting a politically correct environmentalist view. A biblical perspective can respect God’s creation while also recognizing humanity’s duty to care for it and exercise dominion over it. The funeral includes references to pagan Norse gods, and the film misses an opportunity to present a Christian monk or missionary proclaiming the gospel of peace. There is also a very subtle joke about homosexuality in a character’s comment about never marrying.

At its best, the film points toward the courage and selflessness of true leadership: “whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26).

With breathtaking animation, a moving story, and inspiring themes of family, forgiveness, courage, and sacrifice, this is a rare sequel that improves on its predecessor. Younger children may need help with the action, scary dragons, and worldview concerns, but older children and adults should find much to enjoy. WORTH THE TRIP.