Watch Kids' Reviews of
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

How to Train Your Dragon is an exciting and appealing new CGI animated feature film from Dreamworks. Though screened in an unfinished version, in 2D, with temporary scenes and music in place, once finished it will be another strong 3D title in theatrical release. Young Hiccup is a Viking and has always wanted to fight the dragons along with the grown-ups but has never been allowed. During a battle between the dragons the Vikings, Hiccup is able to snare a flying dragon, a fact he shares with his father, the town leader. But his father doesn't believe him and Hiccup is forced to search out the downed creature. When he finds him, instead of killing him, which has been Viking culture forever, he spares the young dragon, and a friendship is born. Hiccup hides his dragon friend, builds him a new tail so he can fly again, trains to be a warrior, and slowly begins showing the townspeople a way to befriend the dragons. When his father returns from sea, Hiccup is forced to prove he can slay a dragon. He refuses, and his dragon friend is exposed and captured. Hiccup's father uses the dragon to lead his army to the 'nest' to rid the town of the dragons once and for all and it's up to Hiccup and his friends to stop the attack, save the young dragon and the Vikings, and take on the evil mother dragon. The CGI animation is spectacular, professional all the way. The film will probably appeal more to boys (dragons, fighting and such) than girls and is a bit scary for kids ages 5 and under. It is a film that uses violence and war to prove the point that violence and war is not needed, but there is plenty of action and adventure. Lots of explosions, fire, scary looking creatures and loud effects. Its appeal could extend to young male adults as well as it is truly a rollicking adventure.

Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, and based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the action comedy tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn't exactly fit in with his tribe's longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup's world is turned upside down when a dragon challenges him and his fellow Vikings to see the world from an entirely different point of view.