REVIEW COLLECTION: DreamWorks Animation, Part 4a

(Source: Audiovisual Identity Database) 

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) 

Following the release of How to Train Your Dragon in 2010, co-writer/-director Dean DeBlois stepped up to continue the CG franchise, but on the condition that it be nothing more than three films. As Matt Reeves did with the rebooted Planet of the Apes sequels, DeBlois and the artists at DreamWorks really took their time and capped off their ever-popular (and exceptional) series with what is arguably the best third entry in an animated trilogy since Pixar’s Toy Story 3. The Hidden World marks the first DreamWorks Animation release under the company’s new partnership with Universal (and their first since Madagascar to be affiliated with the studio while in their early years as an independent company). It was also the debut of an updated (painterly) company logo. 

Set one year after the events of the 2014 sequel, the village of Berk is livelier than ever, full of color, confetti, and new creatures of all shapes and sizes. In fact, the dragon population grows as much as (if not more than) the human population, challenging current chief Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) as to whether a new home should be found for everybody or not. Soon, Hiccup's Night Fury dragon Toothless falls head over heels for a bright-colored female counterpart—a Light Fury—who also happens to be very quiet and aggressive (recalling EVE from WALL-E). Things get complicated and intense when Berk is threatened by a new villain (voiced by F. Murray Abraham a.k.a. Salieri in Amadeus), who wants nothing more than to bring all dragons to extinction, as the people of Berk search for the titular lair that supposedly exists at the edge of the world. (Like Drago Bludvist, characters are warned not to underestimate the conniving Grimmel, who clearly has a misguided sense of “peace.”) 

The attention to detail in the animation is phenomenal, particularly the surface texture of the dragon-skinned armor (and other fireproof gear). Ditto fire effects, lighting, scale, photorealism, and flying suits. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World lends itself to some creative filmmaking, including an opening sequence that features an impressive long take. The set pieces are incredible. The sights are wonderful. The action and drama are scary and intense, with fierce creatures, massive destruction, and flight chases. The species romance and pantomime comedy between Toothless and the Light Fury is delightful and cute. Likewise, the music by returning composer John Powell is astounding and ethereal. Talk about going big and going home. 

More than that, the film has a captivating narrative about the struggle in letting things go. Characters have numerous discussions about marriage, leadership (“You're supposed to be the generation that leads us into the future,” Craig Ferguson's Viking Gobber tells our young heroes), what are the right ways to keep a community together, and what is best for everyone (“Berk is wherever we go”). (Two DW short films, centered around some of these same themes, are featured on the DVD and Bluray releases, including the CGI Bilby and the hand-drawn Bird Karma.) 

The Hidden World also benefits from flashbacks involving Hiccup’s father Stoik (voiced by Gerard Butler). This partly represents not only the power of familial and relational love (“With love comes loss”), but stories of old passed down generations as well. It also shows how far these characters have come and where they're going to go (or could go), even if/when they make unexpected choices and sacrifices. (In fairness, I do think the film kind of plays it safe on this point.) But it is an emotional journey nonetheless, displaying echoes of eternity, and hopes for a better and more united world. This Dragon is a bittersweet but grand finale, filled with tears and soars. 

Abominable (2019) 

The end of the 2010s saw a period where yetis were center stage in a few animated movies, including Warner Animation Group’s Smallfoot and Laika’s Missing Link. In that same group was Abominable, a collaboration between DreamWorks Animation and the Shanghai-based studio Pearl. It tells the story of a young Chinese girl who discovers and befriends a giant, fury, childlike creature on her rooftop in Shanghai, and goes on an unlikely journey to the Himalayas (with friends reluctantly in tow) to bring the beast back to his home. 

The film’s cast of characters is led by Yi (voiced by Chloe Bennett, known for Agents of Shield). A young woman struggling to move on from her father’s unexpected passing, the only thing Yi really holds onto is a dream they had of taking a trip to the places they’ve always wanted to go. (She takes on odd jobs to raise enough money for it.) She’s joined on her aforementioned journey by her shallow friend Jin (voiced by Tenzing Norgay Trainor), whose obsession with attention and good looks is a good example of easy/privileged lives versus hard ones. With his younger, more eager, and daring brother Peng (voiced by Albert Tsai), Jin is forced to go out into the wild against his own will. All three and their giant new friend, named Everest, are pursued by agents and scientists who only plan to exploit and profit off of the white-furred yeti. More accurately, one particular businessman (voiced by Eddie Izzard) wants proof from an expedition he made years before. 

Directors Jill Culton (a veteran of the studio, as well as Sony Pictures Animation) and Todd Wilderman follow a familiar protagonist-and-his-/her-creature story, as seen in prior films like the CGI How to Train Your Dragon and the live-action Bumblebee. The animation style is similar to Blue Sky's Spies in Disguise (released the same year). What makes Abominable different, along with the unexpected detours its story takes, is its cultural representation (a majority of its voice cast and characters are of Asian descent), and its engaging story of lonely, vulnerable hideaways. Add to that colorful art direction, exciting chase sequences, and visual metaphors of tears and rain (Blade Runner, anyone?), as well as stars in the sky (“Even though we can’t see them, we’ll still know they’re there”). 

The DVD/Bluray releases include the 2019 DW short, Marooned, a sci-fi tale about a robot stranded on the moon, trying to get back to Earth, and who finds and repairs a baby bot. The short includes themes of parenthood and sacrificial choices, transitioning from amusing to profound seamlessly. The same applies to Abominable, which is also noteworthy for its subversive portrayals of supposed antagonists—some, misguided; others, deceptive. “I'm so used to looking down,” says one such character (who ends up having a redemptive arc), “I see how amazing it is to look up." 

There are references to Buddhism, but mostly (and briefly) in statue form. But the main sources of spiritual content throughout this story come from two places. One is from Everest himself, who can create anything from giant blueberries and dandelions, to massive fields/waves of flowers, leaving his newfound friends to wonder how he does all this. The other place comes from music (courtesy composer Harry Gregson-Williams), with Yi’s violin-playing as both a literal and visceral form of magic. And, as a fan of their music myself, the use of the band Coldplay’s “Fix You” has never made me cry more than in this movie. The result is a heartwarming journey. 

Trolls World Tour (2020) 

Originally slated for a theatrical release but moved to on-demand in the wake of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, DW presented a colorful and entertaining sequel to one of their most popular franchises in recent years. The occasion also marked twenty-five years since the division was founded. And what better way to celebrate than with music? Not to mention more than one kind of road trip. 

Trolls World Tour expands the central village from the last movie (which consists primarily of pop songs) and presents other kingdoms that each represent different genres of music, including electronic, classical, country, and funk. The central conflict finds the leader of the hard rock nation, Queen Barb (voiced by Rachel Bloom), plotting to steal the strings of each kingdom and “unite”—excuse me, “rule”—everybody under rock'n'roll. Princess-turned-Queen Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick, once again) thinks she can convince Barb to change her mind (a la Hiccup in How to Train Your Dragon 2) and goes on a long journey, with reluctant beau Branch (voiced by Justin Timberlake, also back) in tow. 

With returning director Walt Dohrn at the helm, and most of the same voice cast from the first movie, this second Trolls showcases bright animation and artistry (one such kingdom resembles a spaceship). Like its predecessor, the film has a stop-motion quality in its scrapbook-like artwork; you may think of gum drops and guitar strings differently after this. Timberlake also serves as the movie’s executive music producer (along with Ludwig Göransson). And the soundtrack's playlist has a wide range of everything from classical to jazz, KPop, raggaeton, and yodeling, as well as various artists like Cyndi Lauper, Dee-Lite, and Ozzy Osbourne (the latter of whom voices one of the supporting characters). Rock trio Haim even has an earworm of a track over the credits. These elements collectively play into the backstory, history, and mythology of this animated world, showcasing themes of both unity and isolation (which turned out to be strangely relevant the year of the film's release). 

Along with the angst-ridden and bossy Barb, other new characters include Tiny Diamond (hilariously voiced by Kenan Thompson) and the horse-looking rancher Hickory (voiced by Sam Rockwell). Ditto music artists Kelly Clarkson (as country centaurette Delta Dawn), George Clinton and Mary J. Blige (as funk King Quincy and Queen Essence), and Anderson .Paak (as the latter’s teenage son, Prince D). What a voice cast! But it's the llama-looking Cooper (voiced by Ron Funches) who has one of the story's key subplots, as he sneaks away to find his own kind. 

Despite some predictable plot points, Trolls World Tour represents a creative and subversive way to highlight differences and unity of music. Sad sights of desolated kingdoms, as well as exposition and/or revelations about what really divided the troll nations, perhaps reflects a bit of music history itself. One highlight is one such history lesson via hip-hop from the funk community. “Denying our differences,” we're told, “is denying the truth of who we are.” In fact, just about every character/nation has differing opinions about what “real music” is. Perhaps Poppy’s biggest discovery is that music has different forms of expression, and that we must value and embrace those differences. (“You don’t have to be just one thing.”) With themes of friendship, leadership, and listening to others more than one’s self—not to mention redemptive arcs, character maturity, and a big finish—this is so brilliantly written and executed. I really liked this Trolls more than the first one. Rock on. 

The Croods: A New Age (2020) 

Sometimes, certain film productions come with ironic twists and turns. DreamWorks had been developing a sequel to their prehistoric family comedy, The Croods, since the first movie released in 2013. But changes in management (and studio partnership) put the anticipated follow-up on the shelf for a while, before it was put back into production. With director Joel Crawford leading a returning voice cast (Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, and Cloris Leachman in her last screen credit), The Croods: A New Age followed the continuing adventures of the titular clan as they search around the world for a new place to call home. 

Opening with a backstory of travel companion Guy (voiced by Reynolds)—how he lost his family, why he held onto what they encouraged him to do, and how he met sloth pet/friend Belt—the Croods soon discover a wall (a la Over the Hedge) to what turns out to be an enclosed farming community to a family of three. This sets the stage for the Bettermans ("Emphasis on the better"), including patriarch Phil (voiced by Peter Dinklage), matriarch Hope (Leslie Mann), and daughter Dawn (Kelly Marie Tran). 

From an artistic standpoint, the Betterman's farm is a bright, luscious set piece, full of flowers, insects, produce, and rivers. And food. Lots of food. (“Full feels weird.”) The movie is full of other colorful and dazzling sights, expanding the ever-growing and -changing world from the first movie. Select sequences involving diaries and “travel-logs” are presented in 2D animation. But A New Age is arguably funnier and more over-the-top than its predecessor, with witty action, comedy, and dialogue. (Witty intellectualism, if you will, even with scenes of subtitled gibberish; some involving bananas, of all things.) One running gag involves chicken hybrids (and other creative creatures) getting hit in the eye with sticks and screaming like crazy. The movie also has some unexpected homages to rock culture of the 1980s—and, as I see it, action cartoon intros from that decade—while its soundtrack includes music by Tenacious D and Haim. 

Released during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the movie strangely paralleled what the world was going through, with themes of survival versus conformity. Eep (voiced by Stone) is on the fence about having a life with Guy (both are otherwise smitten with and inseparable from each other) or staying with her family. Grug (Cage) is afraid of letting his oldest child go. Thunk (Duke) gets addicted to window staring (a reflection of people's obsessions with screen time). Meanwhile, the Bettermans try everything they can to (subtly) get rid of everybody--except for Guy, whom they try to get hitched with Dawn. Things get primitive (and literally heated) with culture shock and clashes about living in the wild (sleep piles) versus living in style (separate rooms in a luxurious, modern, and well-groomed lifestyle), as well as conflicting definitions of “home” and “tomorrow.” 

The Croods: A New Age exceeds any expectations of being a cheap installment. It was better than I thought it would be. Like Illumination's franchise follow-ups, DreamWorks does know how to make effective sequels. Its character arcs are subversive and sincere, being more than cliches about love triangles, rivalries, and friendships. (Some are more about bonding than jealousy.) As such, the story takes its time with each character, revealing more connections than they realize, with entitled characters discovering and facing the outside world like they never have (what a wild climax!), acknowledging that emotional scars hurting more than physical ones, and recognizing the family they have, as imperfect and flawed as it is. As an added bonus, the Bluray/DVD release features the 2020 DW short, To: Gerard, a delightful story about a mailman—inspired by a magician as a child—who befriends a little girl. It's a wonderful, 7-minute piece about the moments and people we remember. 

Spirit Untamed (2021) 

By the late-2010's, DreamWorks had a partnership with streaming service Netflix to produce original TV projects (like Trollhunters, co-produced by Guillermo del Toro), and spinoffs of some of its franchises, including How to Train Your Dragon, Home, and Spirit. The latter (titled, Spirit Riding Free) is based on one of the studio's earliest, best, and most underrated entries, centered on the titular fierce, brave, and determined stallion. Nearly two decades after that hand-drawn epic (a rare gap between series installments), the studio presented a CGI story where the wild mustang befriends a young Mexican-American girl with a deceased mother and an estranged father. 

Unlike its 2002 predecessor, Spirit Untamed is told primarily from a female perspective, as the energetic and reckless Lucky (voiced by Isabela Merced) travels with her aunt from the city to a small town to be with her father (voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal), still grieving after his wife's unexpected passing when Lucky was just a baby. Taking after her mother (a famous horse-riding performer in her day), Lucky shares some similarities with Merida from Pixar's Brave, in terms of refusing to ask like a “proper lady,” instead longing for adventure, despite her father demanding she stay away from horses. Her summer turns into an unlikely adventure when some villainous wranglers in town steal several horses, leading Lucky and Spirit (along with some new local friends) on a journey to bring them home. 

Directed by studio artist Elaine Bogan (with help from fellow artist Ennio Torreson, Jr.), the movie features a star-studded cast that also includes Julianne Moore, McKenna Grace, Walton Goggins, Eiza González, and Andre Braugher. While that may be intriguing for adult audiences, I believe kids will be more into this one. Its story is much more conventional and cliched, with some slapstick comedy thrown in. Likewise, while the computer-generated Spirit maintains his trademark characteristics and personality (Lucky has an equally wonderful and charming character design and personality), the same epic sweep, majesty, and poetry that its hand-drawn predecessor had doesn't quite translate the same in 3D. In fact, it feels more like the streaming series stretched to a feature-length runtime. 

But Spirit Untamed has its moments, including some genuinely intense action and drama, diverse representation onscreen, and some touching music (courtesy Irish composer Amie Doherty). Scenes between Spirit and Lucky (both in character animation and direction) are sweet and endearing. Sights of horses leaping in the air, as well as one moment from a bird’s eye view, create real depth and vertigo. Ditto valleys, mountains, and fireflies. (Stay through the end credits for some wonderful artwork.) 

A few themes that children and families can take away from this include the need for parental figures and friends, which make bravery and determination more meaningful. Along with that is learning to trust others and when to let go. Perhaps, more than anything, Spirit Untamed is a story of rediscovering and embracing one’s roots (i.e., cultural identity) and mending broken relationships (especially amongst families) to move forward.