My 6-year-old son has worn a dragon T-shirt almost every day for three years. Hence, when I was invited to see a sneak peek of the new "How To Train Your Dragon" movie, which comes out Friday, March 26, I instantly agreed. And instantly knew who I was going to take with me.
We arrived at the Marcus Majestic Theater before 10 a.m. on a chilly Saturday morning. My son was beyond stoked, understanding that he was getting to see the movie early, that it was in 3-D and that he would be "writing" the review for OnMilwaukee.com.
But before I invite a kindergartner onto the critic’s soapbox, let me squalk about this one for a spell. Dreamworks’ latest offering, "How To Train Your Dragon," was one of my best 3-D experiences to date, mostly because the subject matter naturally lends itself to the format. Projectile fire spewing from the mouth of a massive mythical monster is a three-dimensional sweet dream.
Based on a children’s book by Cressida Cowell, "How To Train Your Dragon" is a fairy tale about Vikings who have killed dragons for prestige and sport for 300 years. Along comes the scrawny and sensitive Hiccup, the son of a burly leader with a mean brogue, who realizes he can’t bring himself to wound another living thing. Including a dragon.
Instead, Hiccup befriends a rare dragon called Night Fury and together, they change the village’s centuries-old treatment of flame breathers. The story includes some nice messages for kids about thinking for oneself, questioning the way things have always been done and learning to co-exist with creatures of all kinds. In this way, the film has an air of "Avatar."
The problem with the PG-rated "Dragon," however, is the writing. The film is not funny. The story line is not captivating and therefore relies too heavily on the animation. Perhaps the book is better, but the screenplay would make a lousy audio book.
Younger children could find a few scenes scary. Particularly a couple of fight scenes that are also very dark (as in lightless).
However, I was able to ignore most of my nit-picky problems with the film -- including the fact Hiccup did not have a trace of the strong Scottish accent everyone else spoke with -- because my son really, really loved it. He’s a sensitive, dragon-loving kid whose only complaint was his 3-D glasses didn’t fit very well over his regular Harry Potter-esque spectacles.
After the film, my son and I went for a slice and I interviewed him about the film. Here’s what he had to say:
OnMilwaukee.com: Did you like "How To Train A Dragon?"
Levi (age 6): Yes.
OMC: Why?
L: Because it was about dragons!
OMC: What did you like about the dragons in the film?
L: They could fly. They took Hiccup and Astrid for a ride.
OMC: Do you wish you could fly?
L: Yes. But I can’t.
OMC: What did you learn from the movie?
L: Dragons don’t beat up boys and boys don’t beat up dragons.
OMC: Do you think other children should see this movie?
L: Yes. And a mom will like it because there’s not that much fighting.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
