This has largely been owed to the unbreakable friendship between viking Hiccup and dragon Toothless, that has been the focal point and anchor of every entry, especially with how the two matured into their new roles as leader of their respective kinds. But such a friendship has also seen its trials, many which continue into the third entry, and definitive ending to the saga, The Hidden World. Going into this film, I was very excited, but it was also a bittersweet excitement given how I've come to love these characters, and so the film had a lot of expectations to meet. And while I want to give the film some more time (and another watch) to sink in before solidifying anything, I will be bold as to say this... that this could stand as one of the greatest trilogies ever made.
One year following the defeat of the Drago, viking chief and dragon master Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), joined by friend and Alpha dragon Toothless, have turned their village of Berk into a thriving utopia for dragons and vikings alike. But in the midst of his vigilante rescues, he finds himself in the path of notorious dragon killer Grimmel the Grisly (F. Murray Abraham), intent on adding Toothless to his collection. To protect their dragons, the people of Berk evacuate in search of the fabled Hidden World, a safe haven where dragons live in peace and secrecy. All the while, Toothless becomes lovestruck after the emergence of a potential mate, dubbed the Light Fury, who may be the only other living Fury left in the world. With Grimmel and an armada of dragon hunters closing in, Hiccup will have to decide whether it's best that his friend stays with the vikings, or goes his own way.
The Hidden World is both a very similar, and different beast to the prior films, and you can even see this as early as the opening sequence. We open not in the cozy beauty of Berk, but with Hiccup's latest rescue of captured dragons, that soon serves as an informing plot point to the rest of the film. Berk has evolved from a colony of vicious dragon hunters, to a thriving, if chaotic utopia, with each new set of dragons Hiccup brings back overcrowding the village, and causing plenty of fire hazards. This hoarder mentality hasn't been lost on Gobber (Craig Ferguson), who can't seem to get Hiccup to realize that try as he might, he won't always be able to protect the dragons. But Hiccup stubbornly carries on, and even with his noble intentions, soon brings consequences upon the people of Berk.
Hiccup has been a steadily growing and compelling character through his individuals arcs, to finding his courage, his ability to lead, and in this final entry, his self-worth. A key defining trait of Hiccup's growth in this movie is being told, by others and even himself, that he is nothing without Toothless. He's accomplished a lot aboard his dragon, and inspired the other vikings to do the same, but because of that, he so often conflates his own worth with that of Toothless. Despite his bravery, Hiccup doesn't show much confidence in his own singular strengths, seeing himself as inadequate compared to his father Stoick (reprised in flashbacks by Gerard Butler). But even so, those closest to him still see that value in him that he doesn't, including and especially his girlfriend Astrid (America Ferrara), that tries to rekindle that spark in him. Even if he may refuse to acknowledge it, Hiccup is special, he can succeed, and he can accomplish great things even without Toothless.
Speaking of which, while Hiccup has always been the main character of the series, The Hidden World undoubtedly belongs to Toothless, being his finest hour in the series. Having found his own little arcs of trust and growing into leadership, his status as the last living Night Fury has still made him feel isolated. Coupled with his broken tail fin, he too is a character seemingly without value away from Hiccup. But with the emergence of the Light Fury, a mate bathed in white rather than black, Toothless immediately becomes lovestruck, making an active effort to court the Fury, and sometimes hilariously failing.
The series' physicality has reached the height of its inspiration, with Toothless' body language and adorable dragon calls serving some great silent comedy, including an extended mating dance improvised on the spot. There's a lot of soul and personality come from the dragons as well, serving some truly spectacular sequences of visual beauty, with the highlight being a flight between the Furies with nothing but their growls and John Powell's score to serve as accompaniment.
And it's that friendship that continues to be the movie's emotional anchor, as the two find new and inventive moments of bonding, from playing makeshift fetch with Hiccup's peg leg, to a full circle callback to Toothless' drawing skills. But that's also rendered bittersweet by the way the film eventually closes that arc, given how well we've come to know and love the two. We've followed them for ten years, and we struggle to think of them separated from the other. But even the strongest bonds must grow apart in due time, as this film leads the two of them down different paths. More than ever, the film makes an active effort to set the two apart as their own unique characters, able to stand apart just as strong and capable without the other, even if it hurts. Through that richly built emotion, The Hidden World is able to extract some powerful catharsis, especially when it comes to the film's epic conflict, as its later stretches throw some gut-wrenching punches, and gives them the satisfying send-off they deserve.
Speaking of conflict, the film has a strong one in the form of its new villain. It's a shame they couldn't fit in previous baddie Drago Bludvist, who was an intimidating presence despite his vague backstory, but his absence is more than made up for by Grimmel the Grisly. At first, Grimmel doesn't appear so bad, what with his aging body and slim figure, but under that facade hides a ruthless and methodical killer without remorse. He's become infamous for his storied legacy of slaying the Furies, earning the moniker of "The Night Fury Killer," and serving as a dark mirror of the kind of viking Hiccup could have become had he killed Toothless in the woods. Also like Hiccup, he's become an expert dragon tamer, but in a nastier way, always accompanied by scorpion-like dragons that follow his every command, drugged by their own venom. He's like a more menacing and kid friendly version of Pete Postlethwaite's hunter from The Lost World, and that vicious center is aided further by F. Murray Abraham, who's clearly relishing leaning into that sinister nature and gnawing on the surrounding scenery.
But not every character is golden. All of the old ones show up for one final bow in the spotlight, with some having more success than others. Astrid, being Hiccup's love interest, has the most attention devoted to her, which she excels at with the incredible chemistry and energy she shares with him. Hiccup's rider friends also get some expanded showcase, as Snotlout has to contend with proving his worth as the self described "number two", Tuffnut offering up terrible advice to Hiccup with his "very-real" beard, Fishlegs mainly existing for exposition purposes, and Ruffnut who has little to contribute outside of one of the funniest scenes in the film. Gobber and Valka serve as the valuable adult perspectives closest to Hiccup, but even that feels comparatively limited. Even Eret from the last film only contributes a few lines of expositional dialogue, and so you see the recurring problem with some of these characters, in that their appearances are only out of seniority, even if they have nowhere left to go at this point. But even so, I'm still glad they're here, as they do make for a nice ensemble.
But beyond the great storytelling, the Dragon films have also offered us breathtaking spectacle, pushing Dreamworks' animators to their limits, and The Hidden World makes a case for one of the most beautiful animated films I've ever seen. The dragons themselves are as great as ever, brimming with personality through their expressive body language and wildly inventive designs. But once again, it's the vivid world-building where the film's beauty shines (thanks to the legendary Roger Deakins' consultation), as we share in the magnificent sensation of soaring above the clouds with the creatures, often at breakneck speed that gave me vertigo. You can really see that when we get to explore the titular Hidden World, which is an absolutely stunning bioluminescent creation, full of eye-catching details around every corner. The film itself actively reduces its other sensory elements in an effort to let you absorb its majesty, and it's one of the most awe-inspiring sequences I'm likely to see this year.
But sound has always been no less important to the Dragon films, with Randy Thom's signature vocalizations continuing to impress and show incredibly varied character, and John Powell's musical score bringing his old and new melodies full circle.
My only personal disappointment was that I didn't get to experience the film in IMAX 3D, but in a smaller 3D screen. It's understandable that 3D has quickly lost its favor and fallen by the wayside, often only squeezing a few extra bucks out of the viewer's wallet, and I myself can't complain given my dwindling tolerance for it. But it does personally upset me, given that I still champion these movies for having the finest 3D I've ever witnessed. It's an overdue side effect of the evolving cinematic scene, but no less unfortunate given that these are films that deserve that heightened presentation. I hope to be able to see the film in IMAX 3D, given that what I did witness continued to look impressive, if subdued.
But regardless of personal gripes, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I may even be willing to argue for this series being the greatest animated trilogy to date. The only other example I can compare it to is Toy Story (and come June, that won't be true anymore), though I do wonder if some of that may be due to my nostalgia. While the Dragon films may not have been childhood fixtures of mine, each one of them have been of consistently high quality, taking us on a grand journey of wonder, discovery, and friendship, and this final entry gives us a richly earned, incredibly bittersweet send-off to Berk and its inhabitants. This is easily the first great film I've seen this year.
But, for the time being, I'm going to reserve my usual rating until I've given the film another shot. This particular movie may be so close to my heart, that I may not be able to see the forest for the trees upon first glance. For the time being, I'll let my hyperbole settle, give the film some reflection, and hope its effects hold up for me on further scrutiny. But all said, go see this movie when it releases.
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