HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD

Going in with high expectations, I was pleasantly surprised by ‘How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World’. Although not quite to the calibre of the first two films, it’s definitely a worthy addition to the franchise. It’s full of cute creatures, moving moments and great laughs. There’s also a fancy new dragon - who acts as both a love interest for Toothless and undoubtedly a merchandise opportunity for Dreamworks - who will be sure to enamour many of the youngest audience members. Their courting process is also one of the funniest parts of the film, with Toothless’ ridiculous dance moves sure to have you giggling.

However, this love story is one of the downfalls of the film. It takes over a considerable portion of the film, and unnecessarily blows out the running time. There’s also too much back-and-forth between Grimmel and Hiccup and co. - there are an excessive number of mini-confrontations as the goodies and baddies constantly try to outsmart each other.

This means it’s way too late in the film before we arrive at the titular Hidden World - but when we do, it’s truly worth it. It’s a visual feast, full of colour and movement to make even the biggest kid’s jaw drop. It’s also a shame that we didn’t spend more time here, as it’s an awe-inspiring place to explore, with the kind of magic you felt when you first soared through the skies along with Toothless and Hiccup in the original film.

As has been the trend with the ‘Dragon’ franchise, there’s a slew of celebrity names attached. Regulars America Ferrera, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson, Cate Blanchett and even Gerard Butler are back, and everyone makes a memorable impact in a film packed with different characters. Yet this is Jay Baruchel’s film; he’s the one who’s brought empathy to a relationship between a boy and a dragon, and still manages to make you (and me) both laugh and cry.

The ‘Dragon’ franchise has been nothing short of magical. It’s taken us on a journey high above the clouds, and deep into our hearts. Now that it’s coming to its conclusion, nine years after the first film hit the big screen, it’s a bittersweet moment - though it’s the end of a visually stunning, surprisingly moving series, it’s a conclusion that will leave you with a sense of satisfaction and a smile on your face. You and the whole family will love flying high again.