How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

The third adventure of “How to Train Your Dragon” yet again manages to comes up with several surprises. After the young Viking Hiccup befriended the nightshade dragon Toothless in the first two films and turned the erstwhile combative relationship between the Vikings and dragons upside down, we now return to Hiccup as the new chief of the Viking village Berk, which gives rise to a bit of self-doubt and nervous tension. The small island is bursting at the seams with dragons freed from the claws of dragon catchers by Hiccup and his loyal comrades-in-arms. When a particularly dangerous opponent appears, the entire village sets off to find a new and safer home. Facing such a tremendous challenge, Hiccup could really use some help from his best friend Toothless – but he seems to only have eyes for the white female dragon Light Fury. Her sudden appearance also causes doubt and suspicion about her origin. What role will she play in Toothless’ life?
Although the makers of the “How to Train Your Dragon” series had to start with a comparatively modest budget in 2010, a loyal fan base soon developed – the decision not to rely on major effects, but rather on multifaceted characters had paid off. The third film remains true to this principle, and it is fascinating to see the evolving, and sometimes complicated, relationships between the characters.