Trailer!

Ok, so I'm just gonna try and hit some of the stuff I like in the trailer!

The opening scene is incredibly cute, and very charmingly in character! It is great to see how Hiccup and Toothless can tease at each other, really actually shows a very strong understanding of one another's personalities. It was a super nice opening for the trailer because it did focus completely on Hiccup and Toothless and how their relationship has both remained intact AND grown over the last five years. We want a Hiccup/Toothless centered movie, so why not start our trailer with a Hiccup/Toothless centered scene? Also, the new animation technology they are using is REALLY paying off, especially with Toothless. DreamWorks is using some new software to handle flesh and muscle movements, and you can really tell! Toothless looks so muscular and real! His expressions are so fluid and lithe, it makes RoB feel like complete plastic, and it even outdoes the first film. Just keep an eye on all his movements (especially his face), and you'll be in for a visual treat.

Then we move from in-character charm to cloud nine triumph! It takes us back to Berk with a glorious "This is Berk" from Hiccup, and we get to have a small glimpse at how amazing the village has become! Dragons are racing, the teens are all older and thoroughly enjoying themselves, and sheep are still running in terror. We are only given a glimpse of the teens, but what I found most striking is that, even though all of them look much different (especially Hiccup), I still felt like I know them. I was worried that I would almost have to reintroduce myself to everyone, make myself learn to love this new Hiccup, but he is so marvelously still himself that, even though he looks different, I still know him, and I still love him! Seems like life couldn't be any better, and Hiccup's smile in the trailer really says that. But this is the village of Hiccup's childhood, his and Toothless's, and maturing may not be easy...

We then get a very dramatic shot of landscapes away from Berk (I assume) that look absolutely desolated. It really is a nice shift in mood, and it has given me chills every time I've watched it (currently nine, but that will rapidly increase!). The dead forest and massive ice spikes (which I believe have a shattered ship in the center... something wooden at least. I also believe that the ice has been caused by the Bewilderbeast.) are very striking landscapes, and the mood is beautifully ominous as Astrid and Hiccup observe the scene. "What could have done this?"

We seem to get an answer when a masked rider surges out of the clouds to presumably attack or capture Hiccup. THAT was well done! The visual was striking and actually quite intense! I love that character buildup. This masked rider is clearly given a lot of presence, and it and its dragon are a terrifying sight to behold. Then, oh yes, then we get to hear Cate Blanchett voicing her, and the line is so, so awesome! The amount of atmosphere she creates with that one little line, "I bet you think you know a lot about dragons..." For someone to say that to HICCUP of all people, that is sort of frightening!

Then we get the big reveal (which most of us probably already knew, but it is SOOO nice to see it fully displayed!). The masked rider is a woman, she is an absolutely terrifyingly good dragon handler (manages to calm Toothless with a simple hand gesture and stroke), and she is Hiccup's long lost mother! (Please refrain from "breast hat" questions). The amount of different directions they could take this plot is phenomenal! I have already read what the directors described Valka as, and they also described Hiccup's view of her, and I get the feeling that this is going to be an amazing, deep, and even very conflicted relationship!

Then we get a generally colorful and cute scene of the place where Valka is keeping the dragons that she has saved. I can't even begin to guess some of these species, but SOME look strikingly like the Red Death, and that is very interesting! Anyway, Toothless and Cloudjumper are ridiculously cute together, but this cheerful dragon haven scene won't last long. We are given beauty and charm, and then foreboding, beauty and charm, and again foreboding.

Ok, so there are badguys, and these badguys have an ARMY (a well organized one too), and Valka warns Hiccup about what is apparently a MONSTROUS dragon (pretty sure it is the Bewilderbeast). This villain claims the dragons are his, and considering Valka has been saving them from traps, I feel pretty sure this guy is to blame! If he's trapping dragons to build an army, I get a sick twist in my stomach thinking what a prize Toothless would be for him.

And then Stoick wanting Hiccup to be chief! Looking forward to see how this little thing plays out, and I doubt it will be a smooth ride.

And then after some flying and jumping and Hiccup looking freakishly awesome using his flight suit, we end with a continuation of the adorable playfight scene! Man, the landscaping here is so brilliant! Haha! Toothless totally won the fight! Great happy feels to end the trailer on! And that quote! That amazing quote by Hiccup! "Dragons and Vikings! Enemies again!" Before Toothless "defeats"him by simply laying down! Priceless! That dragon is so snarky, but at the same time he's very loving. Its a beautiful mix.

Ok, so one overall thing that strikes me is that this was NOT as dark as I was anticipating. Some of the leaks we have gotten made this second movie sound absolutely depressing. I was worried that we would lose the fun and charm (especially of Hiccup and Toothless's relationship) in the middle of all the growing up angst and armies of evil villains stuff. With battles and action scenes and flaming swords and leather armor, I worried that Hiccup would become an action hero and Toothless would go from being Hiccup's best friend to Hiccup's superweapon. I want dark, I really do, but I DO want it to stick with the original beauty of the first film. The first movie had dark moments, intense moments, even some sad moments, but it was still a heartwarming JOY to watch. It looks like the second one will be that way as well. I know (from leaks) that it will not be a completely happy plot, and again that is good, but the overall fun feel of this trailer made me a lot happier and a lot less stressed than I would have been if they had revealed the angstier elements. They showed us the peril, showed us the villain, showed us the new characters and the new dragons, and then REALLY showed us that Hiccup and Toothless are going to shine in this next film! It was so colorful and vibrant! It will still live and breathe like an action film, but it will not become shallow (or filthy) like one! That is the beauty of animated films. So, that's my thoughts in short about the trailer. Think I covered most of them... Excuse me now, I'm gonna go and wish that Toothless was licking me!