How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - Blu-ray + DVD + Digital

The quality of the disc was great

OverviewLargely overlooked in a year that brought endings to both the Marvel film cycle and Game Of Thrones, the third installment of the How To Train Your Dragon trilogy brings us to the end of Hiccup the Viking's story. For those completely new to the films, the trilogy is continuous, and should be watched in order. All three are very good, in my opinion the best work Dreamworks animation studio (makers of Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, among others) has to offer. Outside of Disney/Pixar, I would say these are the best CG animated offerings out there that can be enjoyed by all ages, though they do swing a bit young at times.The MovieThe plot picks up on the settlement of Berk existing as a haven for dragons in a world that hunts them. Hiccup is now chieftain and growing into marrying age. A new villain emerges and with the help of his dragon buddy, Toothless, he needs to lead his friends and people to safety. Though I liked it a lot, I would probably say this film is not quite as strong as the previous two. That said, it's still a great watch, and man, it really sticks the ending. It's as joyous, emotionally satisfying an ending as I have ever seen.Pros: -Toothless falls in love; it's a lot of fun and something we haven't seen in the previous movies. Toothless stays pretty much the same in the first two movies, but here he matures and changes alongside Hiccup, while remaining adorable.-Absolutely gorgeous fantasy animation and design. Best in the series and some of the best period.-Hiccup. I can't remember another animated film series that follows a protagonist as he ages and passes through different phases of life and responsibility. Hiccup is funny, likable and believable, providing a great role model in the most natural, unassuming way. He loses a limb as a child (how many times do you see that in a kids movie?) and it doesn't come close to stopping him. Seeing him grow up the way he does is a uniquely satisfying experience.-Incredible, emotional ending that wraps up the arc for all characters very well.Cons: -The supporting cast. The other kids do not mature quite as well as Hiccup, and in this movie it really starts to show. Their jokes and antics fall a bit flat, and it felt at times we focused more on their kid-friendly comedy relief than we should have.-New characters Valka and Eret get very little to do here, and seem unnecessary. The new villain is just okay. All great vocal talent, but just not enough for them to do. Particularly Eret, and with the cast at the most crowded it's ever been it's a problem.-The movie lacks an certain emotional center and sense of urgency that the previous two films had, at least at first. The ending does make up for it, but you can feel it missing in the first half of the movie.The Blu RayMovie looks great and there are a ton of bonuses. You get two animated shorts which are fun. There is an alternate beginning that is story boarded. Deleted scenes are alright; one of them is partially animated which is nice. There are several short featurettes detailing the making of, and they are all fairly good. There seems to be a real love put into the making of the film which is always nice to see. You also get access to their licensed virtual pet dragon game if that's your thing. I would rate the movie alone as a 4-4.5, but seeing it in the context of the trilogy, and a solid blu ray package, makes me edge it up to 5 overall. If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and watch these movies. Hiccup's goofy friends can be grating at times, but even they have their moments, while Hiccup and Toothless make it all worthwhile. Stick though it and it is one of the best animated stories out there.

Came really quick. Have a son who loves dragons has watched over 100 times no scratches and he isn't the most gentle kid

Whenever I decide to add a movie to my collection, I go straight for the Blue Ray/DVD/digital code set if it's available. I'm glad that one was available for this movie. The product arrived in good condition, which was nice. From my experience, there's a 50% chance of Amazon delivering physical media with cases that break in transit, so I'm glad I got lucky first try this time. There were some offers included with the disks that expired in 2019 even though I purchased the disks in 2023, but I can't be too disappointed since I ordered this for the purpose of getting How to Train Your Dragon 3. It's an excellent movie that will enhance the collection of anyone who maintains that physical media is superior to streaming.

Hidden World is the final fantastic chapter in a fabulous book of dragons that began with how To Train Your Dragon, proceeded through two more films and several series and specials, and filled my house with dragons. Fun enough for kids, but with enough deeper themes for adults. Stunning visuals: landscapes, seascapes, fabulously designed villages and boats and ...dragons! The artists did their Norse research, then ran with it. They studied all kinds of animals, their behavior, how they move, and flight to create some of the most believable "cartoons" ever. There is no end of brilliant action, but it's the depth of emotion and character that drives these stories. Unlike many other tales, HTTYD shows us kids growing up, overcoming obstacles, coming into adulthood... and while they live in a fantastic world full of dragons, the problems and obstacles are familiar to us all.Cressida Cowell's books were hilarious, quirky and fun, full of fabulous scribbly cartoons, and clever enough to engage even reluctant readers. But Dreamwork's film series takes the Dragons to a whole 'nother level.

The movie was great! The movie was well done and had the same excellent production qualities of the first two movies of this series. So no complaints there. However, the packaging for the movie is relatively cheep and easily crushed. For those desiring to maintain the video in pristine packaging, this is not going to happen. My copy was shipped in an Amazon bubble wrap envelope. While the basic disk and its case were not damaged, the outer box which contains the movie and dragon wings was crushed which will complicate being on a shelf with other movies. The packaging for both the movie and the dragon wings are not designed for long term use.This particular edition came boxed with a cloth facsimile of dragon wings. A nice touch for children. The front of the box has a label marked "For ages 3+".

There are not a lot of GOOD dragon movies out there. Most are pretty cheesy. There is even less for kids. This series of movies and cartoons are the current exception.This movie wraps up the series well. The ending was very good and treated the characters properly in my opinion. It attempts to mark the end of the series (although they can always make another) and does it in a heartfelt, positive, and loving way.