Month: December 2023

Today’s quick review: How to Train Your Dragon 2. Five years after Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) befriended Toothless, the village of Berk has become a haven for dragons. Hiccup and Toothless spend their days charting new lands, and his father Stoick (Gerard Butler) wants him to take over as chief. But when Hiccup gets word that Drago Bloodfist (Djimon Hounsou) is gathering a dragon army, he flies out to protect his people and their way of life.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is an animated fantasy adventure. As Hiccup and his friends venture further on their dragons, they discover a larger world beyond their village, with new marvels and new dangers. How to Train Your Dragon 2 expands the setting of the series and continues the growth of Hiccup, Stoick, and the rest. Excellent action, polished graphics, and a solidly constructed story make the film a worthy sequel.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 serves up even more spectacle than the first film. The graphics are a refinement on the original, with crisp material effects, gorgeous scenery, and a keen attention to the way the characters move. The battles are fast and kinetic, a mixture of dragon flight, siege weaponry, and melee combat. The scale of the action is much larger than before, giving the film an unexpectedly epic quality in places.

Nor does How to Train Your Dragon 2 neglect its story. The film captures the progression of time in a way that few sequels manage to. Hiccup and his friends have clearly grown over the last five years, but not so much that they feel like different people. The extensions to the setting are all very welcome, while the main plot strikes an elegant balance between a powerful external threat and a tender personal journey for Hiccup.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is an impressive film that delivers art, action, and character in equal measure. Not everyone will like the world and its characters, but viewers with even a mild appreciation of the first film will enjoy what the sequel has to offer. Give it a shot when you are looking for a polished adventure with strong emotional foundations. For a darker fantasy adventure with a similar villain, try Conan the Barbarian.

[7.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1646971/). I give it a 7.5 for strong action and excellent all-around craftsmanship.

Today’s quick review: How to Train Your Dragon. Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), a scrawny Viking teenager, has spent his life trying to hunt dragons like his father Stoick (Gerard Butler). After years of failure, he succeeds in bringing down a Night Fury, a rare and dangerous dragon. But when he goes to kill it, he finds that the dragon is nothing like he was taught. Naming it Toothless, Hiccup sets out to prove that dragons can be trained.

How to Train Your Dragon is an animated fantasy adventure about a teenage boy who befriends a dragon, the hated enemy of his village. Through trial and error with Toothless, Hiccup learns how dragons behave when they are not carrying off livestock and setting fire to buildings. In doing so, he opens up a new path forward for his village. Solid storytelling, an inventive world, and plenty of action make How to Train Your Dragon a strong pick.

How to Train Your Dragon sets up its conflict well. Hiccup is nothing like his fellow Vikings. He is observant, inquisitive, and physically weak, making him a social outcast and a disappointment to his father. His friendship with Toothless is a new chance for him to prove himself, as well as unique application of his skills. The result is a story with a clean but satisfying progression and an excellent arc for its main character.

How to Train Your Dragon also benefits from strong world-building. The movie goes the extra mile to explain the different kinds of dragon and their personalities, as well as the people and traditions of Hiccup’s village. These details add just enough color to the movie and make its world fun to explore. Meanwhile, the animation fully conveys the excitement of fighting and riding dragons, especially when it comes to Toothless.

How to Train Your Dragon is a well-rounded movie with a rewarding story and no major missteps. How much you get out of it will depend on exactly how its world and its characters hit you, but its craftsmanship makes it well worth a watch for anyone who is interested. Fans of less conventional stories may want to steer clear; for all of its individual touches, How to Train Your Dragon sticks close to the structure of other family films.

For another animated family film about a boy making friends with a misunderstood creature, try The Iron Giant. For an animated fantasy adventure with similar family dynamics, try Brave.

[8.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0892769/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for a unique premise and a well-constructed story.

Today’s quick review: Barnyard. Otis (Kevin James), an irresponsible cow, wants nothing more than to party and get in trouble while his father Ben (Sam Elliott) takes care of the barnyard animals. But when Ben is killed defending the farm from coyotes, Otis has to grow up and become the leader his father wanted him to be.

Barnyard is a family animated comedy about a farm full of animals who talk, eat, and party whenever the farmer isn’t looking. The story follows Otis as he learns the importance of responsibility when his friends are threatened by coyotes. Barnyard tries to make up for in bravado what it lacks in finesse. Unfortunately, its coarse humor and handful of emotional moments are not enough to offset its mediocre CGI, basic plot, and comedic misses.

Barnyard aims wide with a lot of its humor. The chief source of comedy is the many ways Otis and his friends find to cause trouble around the farm, including dancing in the barn, ordering pizzas, and joyriding in the neighbor’s car. Some of the gags are passable, but most of them are lowbrow humor that tries too hard to be funny. Barnyard also leans too heavily on musical sequences to pad its run time and convey its party atmosphere.

As far as story goes, Barnyard offers only the bare minimum. The basic premise of Otis learning responsibility is fine, but the story is clumsy in the way it plays out. Otis does not have a natural character arc where he gradually grows up. Instead, the movie uses a series of discrete obstacles to force him to grow. The result is an underdeveloped story that has a hard time setting up its emotional payoff.

Barnyard holds some appeal due to its serviceable premise and vivacious style of humor. Younger audiences and fans of mischievous antics may find something to like. But for most viewers, Barnyard will be outclassed by other family comedies with sharper humor, subtler character work, and better artistry. Approach only with caution.

For a more entertaining take on animals’ interactions with humans, try Over the Hedge. For an animated cow adventure with similar issues, try Home on the Range. For a more robust comedy set on a farm, try Chicken Run. For a more unique comedy from the same director, try Kung Pow: Enter the Fist.

[5.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414853/). I give it a 5.0 for enthusiastic but misplaced humor.

Today’s quick review: Henchmen. As punishment for acts of heroism, Hank Corrigan (James Marsden), a henchman for the Union of Evil, is assigned to janitorial duty with Lester (Thomas Middleditch) as his apprentice. The two get a shot at real villainy when Lester accidentally steals a prototype battle suit, setting them on a collision course with Baron Blackout (Alfred Molina), a nefarious villain trying to stage his comeback.

Henchmen is an animated superhero comedy that pays tribute to the genre’s hard-working and overlooked minions. The story pairs Hank, an honest worker upset at his uncaring bosses, with Lester, a novice henchman eager to make his mark on the world. Henchmen features a charming story that plays with the conventions of the superhero genre, but it runs into a handful of issues with its visuals and the details of its script.

Henchmen does a lot with its premise. The story takes place in Supervillain City, a bustling metropolis where villains hatch their plans and henchmen take care of all the grunt work. The setting gives the movie a solid base to work with, setting up any number of supervillain jokes and establishing a conflict between the grand villainy Lester dreams of and the modest life of work and friendship Hank has come to appreciate.

Visually, Henchmen occupies an interesting niche. It has clear budget issues that show in low-resolution character models, mediocre designs, and a slight stiffness to the animation. But the movie finds clever way around these limitations. Even if the character movement is not always fluid, it has plenty of life, and the combination of a bright color palette and hand-drawn visual effects lets the graphics punch above their weight.

Even so, Henchmen has some rough edges. The friendship between Hank and his fellow henchmen is a vital plot point, but the script does not have the finesse it needs to make it stick. The plot has a couple of visible seams where separate subplots are welded together. And while the movie does its best to put its own mark on the superhero genre, it has to compete with a long line of predecessors that explore some of the same ideas.

For fans of the superhero genre, Henchmen is a diamond in the rough. Its humble exterior conceals a clever script, a talented voice cast, and a clear love for the genre. At the same time, Henchmen can come across as a little generic, and the limitations of its visuals and its writing make it a tough sell to critical viewers. Give it a shot if you are willing to approach with an open mind. Avoid it if you are looking to be impressed.

For another animated superhero comedy that looks at the genre from the villain’s perspective, check out Megamind. For an animated superhero adventure with a similar love for the genre, try The Incredibles. For a live-action superhero comedy that gives a similar treatment to wannabe heroes, try Sky High or Mystery Men.

[5.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3076510/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for creativity, humor, and heart held back by some notable limitations.

Today’s quick review: The Adventures of Panda Warrior. Patrick (Rob Schneider), a cowardly soldier, finds himself transformed into a panda and taken to Merryland, a mythical world of talking animals and magic. There he teams up with Peggy Skyflyer (Lauren Elizabeth), a flatulent flying pig, and a motley team of animal warriors to free Merrlyand from the Evil Master (Derek Stephen Prince) and his Phantom Army.

The Adventures of Panda Warrior is a budget animated family fantasy adventure. Rob Schneider stars as a legendary warrior destined to save a magical land from a great evil. The movie starts with a generic premise and only gets shakier from there. Lazy world-building, unappealing character designs, cheap CGI, and disjointed writing all contribute to a rough viewing experience with practically no redeeming qualities.

One of the highlights of animated family films is their art, and this is where The Adventures of Panda Warrior is most lacking. The movie obviously has a low budget and it compounds the problem with a series of bad design choices that undermine what little appeal it has. Patrick and his friends are meant to be a colorful team of fighting animals, but their designs are incoherent and their animation is awkward at the best of times.

Narratively, The Adventures of Panda Warrior fares just as poorly. The setup—a soldier sucked into another world where he learns to be brave—would be passable if the movie did anything to build on it. Instead, the movie spends its time jumping from one idea to the next without any rhyme or reason. Patrick’s adventures consist of a series of battles with the Evil Master’s minions, none of which carry any weight or contribute to the larger plot.

The end result is a bland, unsuccessful movie that never gets out of the starting gate. The Adventures of Panda Warrior goes through the motions of a fantasy adventure without any of the qualities that make the genre work. Younger audiences may get something out of the fact that it is animated, but children who are old enough to understand even basic stories will be better off with one of the many other animated films out there.

For a much higher-quality take on a superficially similar premise, try Kung Fu Panda. For a more endearing low-budget action fantasy movie with derivative elements, try Ator, the Fighting Eagle or In the Name of the King. For an animated adventure of similarly dubious caliber, try The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue.

[1.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5779650/). I give it a 2.5 for low production values and a lifeless story.

Today’s quick review: Kung Fu Panda 3. When Kai (J.K. Simmons) escapes from the Spirit Realm and begins harvesting the chi of kung fu masters across China, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and the Furious Five (Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Seth Rogen, and Jackie Chan) set out to stop him. But their best hope lies with Po (Jack Black), who embarks on a journey with his long-lost father Li (Bryan Cranston) to learn how to use chi.

Kung Fu Panda 3 is a family animated martial arts action comedy. Po and the Furious Five face their greatest adversary yet: an ancient master with mystic powers the likes of which none of them have ever seen. Kung Fu Panda 3 continues the series’ tradition of larger-than-life action, light comedy, and stories about family and friendship. In spite of a far-fetched premise, strong action and solid craftsmanship make it a worthy sequel.

Kung Fu Panda 3 introduces explicit fantasy elements to the series. The Spirit Realm, the mystic force known as chi, and a fighting force of jade zombies join the usual martial arts acrobatics and destruction. Apart from a slight shift in the rules of the setting, the fantasy elements fit well, powering a new batch of impressive action scenes and giving the movie a chance to show off its new special effects.

As far as story goes, Kung Fu Panda 3 fits in comfortably with its predecessors. Po faces two new personal challenges: reconnecting with his birth father and learning to teach kung fu, not just practice it. The writing is a shade more self-indulgent than the previous movies, but not enough to distract from an otherwise solid plot. And, crucially, it is still as fun as ever to watch Po stumble, learn, and grow.

Give Kung Fu Panda 3 a shot if you enjoyed either of the first two movies or are simply in the mood for some light, flashy action. The movie has a few quirks, including a greater reliance on fantasy and one or two bumps in its plot, but its strengths are more than enough to make up for them.

For Chinese-themed fantasy action with less of a focus on story, try The Great Wall. For much more violent martial arts action with a soul-stealing villain, try Mortal Kombat.

[7.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2267968/). I give it a 7.0 for gorgeous fantasy action and a satisfying plot.

Today’s quick review: Kung Fu Panda 2. When Lord Shen (Gary Oldman) unleashes his cannons on China, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) sends Po (Jack Black) and the Furious Five (Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Seth Rogen, and Jackie Chan) to stop him. But Po faces an inner battle when he learns that Shen was the one who killed his birth parents.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a family animated martial arts action comedy. The story follows Po and the Furious Five on a new adventure as they square off against a warlord with an army of wolves and a fearsome new piece of technology: the cannon. Kung Fu Panda 2 upholds the high standard of quality set by the first film. Impressive fight scenes, attentive cinematography, and a smattering of light humor make it a thoroughly fun watch.

Like its predecessor, Kung Fu Panda 2 strikes just the right balance of action and comedy. The fights are as sprawling and creative as ever, this time with a full urban environment for Po and the Furious Five to play with. Shen’s agile, blade-oriented style marks a nice contrast to the brute force of Tai Lung from the first movie, while his firework-inspired cannons gives the action a strong visual hook.

The comedy remains a major draw without being too distracting. Po is still as clumsy as he was before, but his training lets him fight like a warrior when he has to. His blunders add some fruitful chaos to the action scenes, and a large part of the enjoyment is seeing how the Furious Five roll with Po’s fumbling. The humor also allows the movie to dial down the tension whenever it needs to, keeping it from becoming overly serious.

As far as story goes, Kung Fu Panda 2 is a slight step down from the first film. Where the original Kung Fu Panda was an underdog story with a clear dramatic arc, Kung Fu Panda 2 has to work harder to establish its drama and suffers from a more limited emotional range. To its credit, the movie makes it work. The story feels like a natural continuation of the first film’s, and it has some solid payoff for anyone invested in the characters.

Overall, Kung Fu Panda 2 is a solidly constructed action comedy that delivers the same combination of spectacular fights, light humor, and heartfelt story as the first film. It is not without its faults, and not everyone will appreciate its heavy focus on action. But for most viewers, Kung Fu Panda 2 is a worthy sequel that is well worth a watch.

For a martial arts comedy with a loosely similar plot, try Shanghai Knights. for a more dramatic movie about a fight for the future of martial arts, try Ip Man or Ip Man 2.

[7.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302011/). I give it a 7.0 for excellent action backed by a well-scoped story.

Today’s quick review: Kung Fu Panda. Po (Jack Black) wants nothing more than to be a kung fu master like his idols, the Furious Five (Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Seth Rogen, and Jackie Chan). Po gets his chance when an old master (Randall Duk Kim) identifies him as the prophesied Dragon Warrior. Now the Furious Five and an incredulous Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) must train the clumsy panda to take on the evil Tai Lung (Ian McShane).

Kung Fu Panda is a family animated martial arts action comedy. Jack Black stars as Po, an enthusiastic martial arts fan faced with the daunting task of fighting Master Shifu’s greatest student, Tai Lung. Kung Fu Panda is a comedic spin on the classic story of an apprentice training to become a warrior. Imaginative action, a basic but engaging story, and the right amount of comedy all make the film an enjoyable pick.

Kung Fu Panda hits a sweet spot with its characters, its comedy, and its action. Po strikes a good balance between bumbling and capable. He has little physical talent, but he shows a true love for his craft. Master Shifu balances him nicely, a harsh but skilled mentor who is still wrestling with his failure in training Tai Lung. Po’s journey has a nice progression that fits naturally with both characters.

As far as action goes, Kung Fu Panda makes full use of its animated medium. The kung fu masters in the movie are acrobatic animals who leap, kick, and fly around large, destructible arenas. The fights are creative, kinetic, and manage to have plenty of impact without any blood or gore. On the comedy side, Kung Fu Panda slips in plenty of jokes without letting them distract from the story, making excellent use of Jack Black’s talents.

All in all, Kung Fu Panda is a film that accomplishes what it sets out to do. Within the well-established conventions of the martial arts genre, Kung Fu Panda carves out a unique niche for itself, infusing a classic story structure with high-octane action and its own flavor of comedy. Give it a shot when you are in the mood for something light and adventurous.

For Jack Black in a similar underdog role, try Nacho Libre. For a more conventional take on the genre, try Drunken Master. For a family-focused spin on the formula, try The Karate Kid.

[7.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0441773/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for strong action, fun humor, and lots of care.

Today’s quick review: The Little Prince. To get into a prestigious school and secure a successful future, a little girl (Mackenzie Foy) must spend her summer following the strict schedule laid out by her mother (Rachel McAdams). The only wrinkle in the plan is her eccentric neighbor, an aging aviator (Jeff Bridges) who tells the girl a fanciful story about the Little Prince (Riley Osborne), a boy on a journey away from his asteroid home.

The Little Prince is an animated fantasy adventure based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The movie is set in a drab, conformist world where everyone spends their lives toiling to get ahead. Its story follows a little girl as she is introduced to a world of color and wonder by the aviator who lives next door. Fantastic artistry and a rich and insightful story make The Little Prince a gorgeous film, both visually and tonally.

The Little Prince is an artistic masterpiece. Everything contributes to the whole, from the details of the set designs to the way the characters move and react. The girl’s house is prim, proper, and satisfyingly organized, but the aviator’s house offers something more: a chaos of colorful trinkets that all have their own stories behind them. The film also seems to know just the right way to present its world for maximum effect.

The Little Prince goes even further with its art for the Prince’s story. His adventures are adapted from the original book, traveling from asteroid to asteroid and eventually ending up stranded on Earth. The film depicts his journey with charming stop-motion animation that mimics the art style of the book. The Little Prince also does an excellent job of weaving together the old story and the new one, so that neither one is given short shrift.

The subtler and more enduring accomplishments of the film come from its story. The Little Prince works at multiple levels. What begins as a satire of the regimented, stifling drive for success seen in the modern world gives way to a heartfelt story about love, imagination, and coping with loss. Yet the real heart of the film lies even deeper: mature themes and unspoken wounds that are handled with incredible tact.

The Little Prince is a beautiful film whose art, story, and acting come together to create a magnificent whole. Not only is it a pleasant experience on its surface, but its artistic detail and layers of meaning reward the audience for paying closer attention. Its specific style will not appeal to everyone, and its story requires a certain amount of sentimentality to appreciate, but its high quality makes it well worth a watch for almost anyone.

For a stop-motion fantasy adventure that deals with similar themes through a more unsettling story, try Coraline. For a darker and more adult film about a man weaving a fantastic story for a little girl, try The Fall. For a science fiction movie where Jeff Bridges saves a child from an emotionless world, try The Giver. For a more down-to-earth movie about tall tales and adventure, try Secondhand Lions.

[7.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1754656/). I give it an 8.0 for beautiful artistry and a moving story.

Today’s quick review: Over the Moon. Four years after the death of her mother, Fei Fei (Cathy Ang) is distraught to learn that her father (John Cho) is planning to remarry. Fei Fei builds a rocket to reach the Moon and find the goddess Chang’e (Phillipa Soo), who she thinks can convince him to change his mind. But to earn the goddess’ favor, Fei Fei must first recover a gift that can help Chang’e bring back her long-lost love.

Over the Moon is a family animated fantasy adventure based on a Chinese myth. The story follows a grief-stricken teenage girl on a quest to find a goddess and keep her family from undergoing a massive change. Over the Moon combines a colorful fantasy world with delicately handled themes of loneliness, family, and letting go. Beautiful visuals and a sweet story make Over the Moon a solid pick for anyone in the right mood.

The single most striking aspect of Over the Moon is its visuals. The film has a knack for bright, colorful designs that show off its impressive lighting technology without being overly complicated. The story strikes a similar balance. The basic story arc will be familiar to fans of the genre, but the details show plenty of care, and characters like Fei Fei and Chang’e get the chance to grow and develop identities of their own.

Other aspects of the film are satisfying but not outstanding. The songs are emotive and show off the singers’ powerful vocals, but none of them leave a lasting impression. The setting is an imaginative, fantasy version of the Moon, but the sparse landscape and oddly shaped creatures will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Finally, while Fei Fei’s journey supports the movie’s themes, it is not as fully fleshed out as other fantasy adventures.

Over the Moon is a fine pick for anyone who appreciates advanced CGI and cleanly told tales of loss and longing. It is not as emotionally resonant as the very best films in the genre, and it has slight weaknesses in terms of music, plot details, and humor. But in spite of these quibbles, Over the Moon carves out a comfortable niche for itself with its unique designs and solid fundamentals. Those curious should give it a shot.

For another animated fantasy film with ties to Chinese mythology, try Wish Dragon. For a stop-motion fantasy adventure that deals with similar themes and has mythological influences, try Kubo and the Two Strings. For an animated fantasy about a young explorer, try Patema Inverted or The Secret World of Arrietty. For an animated movie about girl’s trip to another world, try Spirited Away, A Whisker Away, or The Cat Returns.

[6.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7488208/). I give it a 7.0 for gorgeous animation and a sweet story.