求一篇《驯龙高手》的英文影评

求一篇《驯龙高手》的英文影评

As much fire-breathing Lassie as a King Kong with wings, Toothless is the most misunderstood dragon to ever terrorize a Viking village in How To Train Your Dragon.Toothless’s “Timmy” is town misfit Hiccup (voiced by Canada’s Jay Baruchel, adding just the right note of nerdy angst), a skinny kid who yearns to battle the dragons that regularly raid his bleak seaside home, making off with sheep and leaving smoking ruins behind. Perhaps lopping off a flame-belching head or two would help him finally earn his disapproving dad’s love. It’s not easy to live up to the standards of a hulking chieftain named Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), who is built like a walk-in freezer and wears Gentle Ben as a raincoat.Finally allowed to attend dragon-fighting school, Hiccup just can’t make the grade, watching as Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), Snotlout (Jonah Hill) and brave super-babe Astrid (America Ferrera) do battle like old pros against dragons like the Deadly Nadder and hummingbird-winged, spud-like Gronckle in the training ring. Meanwhile, Hiccup is in danger of being the main course at the village barbecue.Based on the children’s books by British author Cressida Cowell, Dragon owes much to its DreamWorks Animation predecessors Shrek and King Fu Panda, especially Shrek. Like the lovable green lout, all of adult Vikings speak with thick Scottish brogues, which somehow make their lines even funnier. As Gobber the Belch, the blacksmith and head of the training program who has lost a few body parts while battling the winged creatures, funnyman Craig Ferguson is in his element.That traditional enemies Hiccup and Toothless are destined to meet and bond is destined. But the scenes of their tentative friendship are unpredictable and quite delightful, even if Toothless bears an uncanny resemblance to a sleek Siamese cat crossed with Stitch, Lilo’s animated alien pal. No surprise considering directors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders were responsible for 2002’s Lilo & Stitch. Sanders even voiced the E.T. critter.Turns out the dragons these villagers fear and detest are nothing more than huge housecats, prone to toppling over in rapture during skin scratches or curling up and purring with delight over a fish dinner. But theirs is a dangerous friendship, and not just when Toothless takes Hiccup aloft in heart-stopping flights. He’s a rare Night Fury, considered the deadliest breed and the most despised by his village, and Hiccup has to keep things hidden, especially from his dragon-hating dad.The flying scenes -- aided by a score by John Powell -- are pure, heart-stopping magic and two epic battles add a dose of action that will engage adults and older kids, even as Toothless’s plight plays with emotions. Yes, you’ll also bond with this onscreen anti-hero. And younger viewers will adore the colourful, often-comical dragons, although they may need a word of reassurance occasionally. All of it is heightened by the 3-D, which is used to good effect here; a simple scene of falling ash is especially impressive.With its messages about acceptance, respect and tolerance, How To Train Your Dragon also brings some lessons of its own, including some valuable tools for doing battle with dragons, should the need arise. Did you know just about every dragon has a blind spot? So do people, it turns out.