'How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World' rounds out a perfect animated trilogy

Story 

The movie picks up a year after the last film. Hiccup and his friends continue to rescue captured dragons but when their home becomes overpopulated and is threatened by the hunter Grimmel, they go in search for a safe haven called the 'Hidden World'

The story is a simple but effective one, and because of that, you can focus on the characters and their relationships with their dragons which has always been the draw for me.

At no point does this film feel unnecessary or forced. It feels like an organic story that follows its predecessors without any hiccups (see what I did there? You know the main character's name is Hiccup - okay I'll see myself out)

Voice Acting

99% of the original voice cast returns for this film from the previous movies and they have all managed to make the characters their own. I commend animated movies that can make me focus on the characters rather than the actors who voiced them, and this one does that. They all feel like real tangible people which is a testament to not only the voice actors but the writers as well.

The voice actors are able to convey emotion with just their voices which is very impressive and makes the movie as a whole more enjoyable. Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Kristin Wiig, Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson have been voicing these characters from the beginning and while the actor's voices haven't changed since the first movie, the subtle changes reflect the changes in the characters which I love.

Writing/Direction

This movie has the same writing and directing team from the previous two films and they're able to tell a coherent story (not that it isn't possible to have a coherent story with different directors) Throughout the series you're able to watch the characters grow and mature  which made me feel more connected to them because you have seen that progression.

Even though this is targeted towards a younger demographic anyone could enjoy it, the movie never feels like it is dumbing down its content to appeal to kids, which can sometimes be the case with kids movies and this is something that sets this series apart from its animated counterparts. I would go as far as to say that the writing in this movie is even better than the previous ones.

The direction is solid, the film has very good pacing, I got so invested in the story that I was surprised when the film ended, even though it runs at 104 minutes, it feels a lot shorter than that because you're so devoted to the story.

Animation

The animation is stunning.  A lot of the movie takes place in natural landscapes and in the air and it's all incredibly fluid which makes the flying scenes even more breathtaking. Even though the movie is animated the animators still manage to make it looks realistic and tangible which is incredible.

 Something to point out is how different each character and dragons looks, they all have their own distinct persona and I like that for different reasons. Firstly its easier to know what is going on when you can tell the characters apart and it also makes the film feel more realistic (well as realistic as an animated movie can look and feel) because Berk looks like a real community rather than an uninteresting cookie cutter village, the differences give the film personality. There is a ridiculous amount of detail put into the characters designs.

Score/Soundtrack 

The score is phenomenal and is one of my favourites in the last year. These films have a distinct sound and that follows through with this one Having John Powell who scored the last 2 movies come back and score this one, meant that there is auditory continuity. My sister pointed out the connection between 'Test Drive' and 'Once There Were Dragons' and that kind of attention to detail helps to tie the first and last movies together.

Just listen to them. They really are brilliant pieces of film score

The score in this film is everything film score should be, it's exciting, moving and at times sad. It helps to amplify everything that you see on the screen, it's not always something you hear, sometimes it's something you feel. There were times where I was more focused on the score than anything else. I couldn't stop thinking about the score once the film ended, especially 'Once There Were Dragons'

Overall Thoughts

The 'How to Train Your Dragon' movies have a special place in my heart. They're the perfect blend of humour, drama and childlike-wonder. I loved every single minute of this movie, so much so that I didn't want it to end. It's a brilliant end to a fantastic animated trilogy (and trilogy in general).This is one of those trilogies where they keep getting better and better and I couldn't think of a better way to end this series.

Even though I don't rate movies, this gets a 10/10 from me. It's funny, dramatic and sad at times but never feels like it is trying to be more than it is. And I loved it. I truly don't have anything negative to say about this movie. I highly recommend it.