Darker Dragon a terrific sequel
Saturday, 7pm Three Opening out and darkening the original tale (adapted from Cressida Cowell’s series of books), returning writer-director Dean DeBlois’ 2014 second part of a proposed trilogy is also a rollicking self-contained adventure that skilfully manages not to overcomplicate a successfully simple premise.
DeBlois has stated that he was inspired by the mother-of- all franchise sequels (not The Godfather Part II, despite what many films and TV shows will tell you), The Empire Strikes Back, and the comparisons are sometimes a little on the nose with flame sabres and unresolved familial issues de rigueur.
Like Empire, it also doesn’t pull any punches or soft-pedal any drama, even if ultimately it rather too neatly resolves things. And while it does threaten to get overwhelmed with mystical mumbo-jumbo, it certainly doesn’t get as bogged down by it as that other Empire-inspired recent sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.
Filled with engaging characters, witty dialogue, crisp animation and breathtaking aerial shots, Dragon 2 is not for the faint of heart adult or easily frightened pre-schooler. However, for everyone else, it’s an engaging and entertaining thrill-ride. – James Croot