HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON:
THE HIDDEN WORLD
Director: Dean DeBlois
Cert: PG. 104 mins
The final instalment in this epic trilogy moves the characters and storyline forward, while also maintaining the tone of the series.
As with the first two films, it’s a visually spectacular fantastical adventure with a quirky sense of humour.
A year after the events of the second film, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is adjusting to his new role as Chief, freeing captive dragons from trappers, and establishing a paradise where humans and dragons live in harmony. But threats loom on the horizon.
The highly-skilled tracker Grimmel (F. Murray Abraham), who hates dragons and wants to kill them, hunts the last Night Fury – Hiccup’s male dragon, Toothless. To complicate matters further, Toothless falls in love with a female Light Fury dragon. Grimmel taunts Hiccup that he’s unprepared to take up his father’s role of Chief, and tells him: ‘You’re nothing without your dragon!’
Secure in our identity
Hiccup must become secure in his own identity in order to be a better friend to Toothless and lead his people. He draws on his father’s words as he continues his quest for the legendary Hidden World.
He’s helped by the other dragon riders around him, three of whom get some great comedic scenes where they’re entertainingly overconfident in their incompetence.
As Christians, our identity is secure in Christ, which means that we can have true confidence as we face the challenges of life and ultimately overcome (c.f. Ephesians 1, Romans 8, John 16.33, 1 John 5.3-5).
The film leaves the possibility open for further adventures, while bringing the trilogy to a fitting conclusion. The 3D enhances the visually-rich world of the film.
