Verdict: * * * * –

When I first watched HTTYD, I thought at first it was just another goofy animated movie. I mean, c’mon… a scrawny kid with a nasaly, Canadian accent the son of a mighty viking chief? But as the movie played on, I started really enjoying it. The movie didn’t take itself seriously, and even the nasaly Canadian kid made fun of his own character. I liked the sequences, the way the story unfolded, the tension of the dragons and the struggles of man verses beast in almost every fashion. The action was incredible and the humor had me laughing out loud.

When I first heard that HTTYD2 was coming out, I cringed because I thought it was just another goofy animated sequel that Walmart would have in its $5 bin in six months, sitting right next to Fern Gully 2; A Financial Rescue Attempt. But as this movie played on, I ascended from liking the characters to truly fall in love with them!

Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and Astrid (America Ferrera) are coming into their own and Chief Stoic (Gerard Butler), along with his right hand man Gobber (Craig Ferguson), is trying to train his son how to be the next chief of the vikings in Berk. But Hiccup was never one to go along with rules and as he and Astrid stumble across an enormous dragon army controlled by the fearsome, mysterious man Drago, it opens up a whole new world of dragon-wrangling for our young hero.

I won’t give much more away, suffice it to say that comparing the first HTTYD to its sequel is like comparing a bottle of Budweiser to an entire twenty four pack of Budweiser! The bottle of Bud will do ya in a pinch and tastes great (less filling!) but the suitcase will bring your friends to the party and everyone will enjoy themselves so much more!

I do realize that describing children’s animated movies with melodramatic alcohol references may not win me over at my daughter’s school or get me invited to community little league games. I’m sure I’ll deal with that while I’m hanging out with friends drinking a suitcase and watching this movie again. But for now, I just added HTTYD2 to my Amazon wish list and tagged it as the highest priority!

If you liked the first movie, you’ll love the second movie! I don’t consider it a sequel at all, really… but a second part to one big story. Apart, they’re wonderfully done little adventures, but together, they make for one beautiful, fulfilling epic that you’ll walk away from with your fists in the air going “Yeah!”