"How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” Review
How to Train Your Dragon is one of consistently great movie franchises out there and luckily this third and final installment is no different. Textures, details, and character nuances are rendered and animated stunningly and is a huge step forward from the previous film (which is saying a lot). There were moments that were so breathtaking and gorgeous, my eyes started to water out of sheer joy (the same thing happened during the second one). The sound design also stands head and shoulders above other mainstream animated films. I especially took a liking to the sound design for wind -an important element for a movie that spends a lot of its time flying, gliding, and falling with giant reptiles. It's something that most people probably won't notice but for someone like me, it makes all the difference.
Similar to the second one, Hidden World has a villain and a very weak one at that that bogs down the otherwise stellar character work and script. Although the final moments are perfect and the series ends in a very satisfying way, it does feel familiar. You'll probably know where it will go by guessing it and I think that's fine for the most part.
The female "light fury" is a joy to watch and seeing Toothless and her interact without dialogue is one of the movie's strengths. Hiccup and Astrid's relationship feels more fleshed out than the other films and they really feel like a believable couple and they are adorable together. This compliments the more mature tale the story is telling about leadership, love, legacy, and belonging and it feels very poetic.
Although it's not the strongest in the trilogy, it's definitely the most stunning. It's a must watch for those who've stuck with the franchise from the very beginning.