Student Film Reviews

Film reviews from theaters, couches, and film festivals

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1. Cody Christianson 02.15.11 / 8pm

   I too was surprised at how good this film was. I thought it would end in a Happy Ending, but instead, it has somewhat of a twist. Hiccup was a great character, and he looked weaker than he really was. My favorite part of this movie was when Toothless smiled, I thought that was pretty funny. I like your review, it explains the movie very well.
2. Laura Horstmann 02.15.11 / 11pm

   This was probably one of my favorite movies of 2010. I thought the ending was extremely creative and not something you normally see in kid’s movies. It’s so cool that they can create characters like Toothless from a computer and really bring them to life on screen.
3. John Starr 02.15.11 / 11pm

   I really enjoyed this movie, Dream Works always delivers great movies. I thought it was very creative and entertaining. I liked the battle between dragons and vikings. The way Hiccup was able to use his brain amongst a village of crazy strong vikings was a cool way to go with the story. I liked all the characters in the movie and hope Dream Works keeps making great films.
4. Ryan Zwirner 03.07.11 / 3pm

   How to Train your Dragon is quite possibly the best non Pixar animated movie to recently come out. I’ve been pretty jaded with Dreamwork’s slew of mediocre animated films and Shrek spin offs (although Kung Fu Panda was excellent) so this film was a nice breath of fresh air. The characters were funny and charming, the dragons were bizarre yet fun to watch and the plot while a bit formulaic was for the most part enjoyable.
5. Christine Goytia 03.18.11 / 8am

   This film was well executed from start to finish. The animation was breathtaking and the colors used really made everything come to life. The film captures the audience right from the very beginning with all the chaos of the town all the way to the end with the defeat of the giant dragon. The story line did a great job at targeting a range of audiences. There was good humor and the life lesson that are taught in this film stand true for the young children as well as adults. The message of the film transcends across audiences and that is why this film is suitable for all audiences. There was a great deal of adventure which made the story more of a magical ride, and what’s more magical than dragons?
6. Matthew Eastwood 03.21.11 / 1pm

   I saw this movie on a long, twenty three hour plane flight. After going through almost every movie on the little screen on the seat in front of me, I gave in and hoped that not judging a book by its cover would pay off. By the end it did indeed pay off. I loved this movie from beginning to end, an epic tale filled with love, compassion, action and an intricate storyline. By the end I was so satisfied that I was able to sleep for the rest of the flight; an amazing gift.
7. David Svensson 03.21.11 / 4pm

   I saw this movie and I enjoyed the most of it. Since it’s a movie for kids there’s some certain parts that are quite obvious and expected, but that didn’t bother me too much. However, about this review, I liked the most parts of it, but I have to disagree regarding how you feel about the voices. I mean, I think Gerald Butler has an excellent voice for this movie, sure you can still hear his scotish accent but that’s okay for me. Other than that I like your reveiw, and I think you’re right about that it’s a really strong story. I didn’t watch it on a big screen, and neither in 3D, but I’m pretty sure that if I would I would have enjoyed it even more.
8. Logan Harmon 04.27.11 / 2pm

   I had been waiting for this film to come out for some time and was very anxious to see it. I enjoyed DreamWorks films including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar. These films can be predictable but I’m now watching these films for an in depth plot. I watch these films for their feel good moments when the good guy triumphs over evil. I am also flat out impressed with the animation detail and life like features. Animated films have the greatest advantage in creating the setting and characters. Animators can create characters that interact at the highest level possible because they are perfect actors created for a specific purpose. That’s why animated films are so enjoyable.
9. Adrian Wenisch 07.02.11 / 8pm

   What a great movie. I personally believe that DreamWorks even outperformed Pixar that year thanks to this wonderful piece of movie art. As the reviewer points out this movie is made with such attention to detail and passion that it made me forget that I am watching a movie. The animations are very well done and the characters personalities are relatively intriguing. What really stood out to me though was the relationship Hiccups had with his dragon Toothless. The theme of man befriending the wild beast had quite an impact on me.
10. Jasmine Mehdizadeh 10.11.11 / 9pm

    I agree. This film was surprising in all of its elements. I thought I had grown out of cartoon films long ago, especially dragon themed. My 9 yaer old brother forced me to take him to watch this film and I must say, thank G-d for that. The film was empowering and relatable to different aspects of life. Through a movie that was aimed at children, for the most part, a more educated audience could relate Hiccup and Toothless’ struggle and relationship to every day experiences. Their ability to overcome difficult hardships and bring two opposing groups together was inspiring. Although the film was animated, I felt like the characters were real people and I was able to feel thei emotions. Dreamwork’s did a remarkable job during the making of this film.
11. Dylan Avnet 11.25.11 / 6pm

    “How to Train Your Dragon” truly impressed me. I agree that the landscapes, like when Toothless takes flight over the ocean, are gorgeous to look at and make the film come to life. I happen to disagree with your opinion on the voices, though. I thought the voice of Jay Baruchel was great as the scrawny, confidence lacking Hiccup, and Gerard Butler was perfect as Hiccup’s strong, viking father.
    The film has strong themes that everyone can relate to. It is really about the individual vs. society, and the struggles that come with trying to fit in. Ultimately, the film shows the importance of being yourself while respecting others. Everyone should see this movie!
12. Brittlyn Ross 03.12.12 / 3pm

    I thought this was a great review! and i agree, the film was amazing. it is by far my favorite animated film and all of the characters were so interesting and different. toothless was so entertaining and the fact that Hiccup was so scrawny and innocent was a perfect fit for his HUGE viking of a father. of course the film had its ups and downs and it was just the right amount of humor. the underlying meaning was basically just to have tolerance for ideas other than your own and remain open minded and accepting of people for who they are. i loved this movie.
13. Yifan Shao 11.04.12 / 7pm

    Although I agree that this is one of the best Dreamworks animated films but the other ones are well made and very much entertaining! Such as Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar. And Megamind which came out after How to Train Your Dragon is definitely one of my favorite animated movies! I agree that the landscape and the flying motion are amazing, but I have been watching the new How to Train Your Dragon TV series and I found the character’s cloth look a little stiff. The voice of Hiccup always has the same tone like he is bored which makes it a little boring for the audience too.
14. Manpreet Toor 07.15.13 / 12am

    How to Train Your Dragon was a terrific film. It made me feel as if i was in Hiccup and Toothless’ world. The storyline was truly captivating and made me feel like a kid again. I enjoyed how Hiccup was a viking, and vikings were known for their killing of dragons. However, Hiccup shows his entire clan, with the help of Toothless, that dragons are friendly creatures. Together, they find out that their is a source that is scaring the dragons into causing the harm they have been exhibiting. Toothless and the other dragons help the vikings destroy that source and create a genuine bond. This film shows that trusting your friendship can change things for the better.
15. Mallarie Stevens 10.08.13 / 8pm

    I too, truly didn’t have any high expectations for How to Train your Dragon and was pleasantly surprised to see it live up to the hype. Jay Baruchel as Hiccup and America Ferrera as Astrid are superb choices for bringing the dialogue to life, but the driving forces of this film’s success are the visual effects and the storyline. The central theme of the depth and transparency of friendship is one that all can relate to, either through the lens of human companionship or the joy of pet ownership. Each time I watch How to Train Your Dragon (which is often; I have it on Blu-ray), I can’t help but see Toothless as I see my dog: a loyal and loving friend.
16. Siana Duran 10.30.14 / 4pm

    This is one of my top favorite films of all time. I honestly thought that this was going to be another dumb kids movie, where there is nothing entertaining about it. My dad wanted to watch it so badly (as one of his friends was an animator on it), so I gave in and so glad I did. Toothless is my favorite character. I enjoyed the bonding scenes between them, you feel exhilarated with the characters. I haven’t connected so deeply with a movie for a long time. This was a pleasant surprise. What I really liked about is how it draws you in, makes you feel like a child watching it with complete wonderment. It makes me wish I saw it in theaters, it was such a beautiful movie. There was so much detail, for example Toothless has black camouflage on him. I think something like that is brilliant. If you haven’t seen this film yet, I urge you to give it a shot. If not for the amazing animation but for the music and the bond you will form with this movie and its characters.
17. Adrianne 02.05.15 / 8am

    When How to Train your Dragon first came out and I saw the trailers, I was not that excited. However, when I saw it I was exactly like you Nick, I was pleasantly surprised. I liked how the humor was smart and the characters were strong and somewhat predictable. However, the storyline was strong, but not predictable. I remember being glued to the screen when I saw this movie and I remember just loving it so much. I agree with you Nick when you say that you hope Dream Works does not overwork the sequel as they have done to others. This movie is amazing and I do not know how they could do the sequel justice. I hope they will do! Although, I am skeptical as to how they will do this. Great Review!!
18. Emily Lash 11.10.21 / 4pm

    I absolutely love “How to Train Your Dragon”, it is definitely one of my favorite animated films. Over the years as I have rewatched this movie, I have only come to love it more, because each time I become just as invested as I was during my first viewing of this film. The characters are extremely interesting and the relationship between Hiccup and Toothless is simply a joy to observe. There is a healthy amount of character growth, which only makes the film more entertaining as you watch the characters evolve along with the storyline. Also, it definitely magnified my ever present love for dragons and left me wishing that I could have my own Toothless. Overall, this was an extremely heartwarming movie that left me feeling soft and content.
19. Jude Smit 09.05.22 / 8pm

    Although I would have to agree with your statement about How to Train Your Dragon being a great film, I don’t agree with your statement about Dreamworks. They have made other amazing, animated movies such as Mr. Peabody and Sherman, Kung Fu Panda 1-3, Megamind, and many more! Going back to How to Train Your Dragon, over the years I have watched this movie maybe 10 times now, and each time I am reminded of the feelings this movie left me as well as just how amazing it is. The characters are strong, the story is great and there is something that sets this movie apart from many others. This movie has also shown the lasting impact it has left on the animated movie industry as so many movies followed its path in pursuit of making something as great as this movie. Overall, this movie is a must-watch, heartwarming movie that has left a lasting impact on thousands if not millions of people around the world!
20. John Macalma 09.10.22 / 10pm

    When I was a kid, this was my favorite movie of all time. To this day, it still is and sometimes I would re-watch to feel that exhilarating movie experience over and over again. The emotion this film brings is just full of joy and delight. The heartwarming connection within each character is so powerful, it moves the audience in a way that can’t be described. If this wasn’t published 11 years ago, I would say the animation was fascinating at the time. Certain scenes, like when Hiccup flies Toothless for the first time, are still as beautiful to watch even if the animation is outdated and old. To conclude, I have to agree that this film is terrific and is definitely an exciting one.
21. Nicholas Tait 11.12.22 / 7pm

    HTTYD,
    I think that httyd is one of my favorite childhood movies. The angles used when the dragons fly by is below the dragon and it flies right above almost into the cameras view. Then the whole auditorium shook. This is to give a more life like experience to the viewer. They also use lighting to highlight important scenes like at the end when it showed the dragons eating with the Vikings that was bright and a happy moment.

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