This witty and satisfying CGI spectacular from DreamWorks manages to seem archetypal whereas the soulless, humorless Avatar was merely formulaic. Jay Baruchel supplies the voice of the hero, a skinny teenage dreamer in a village of burly Vikings who maintain a continual red alert against raiding dragons. The boy discovers he has an affinity with the scaly beasts but still struggles to win the respect and understanding of his ultra-macho warrior dad (an unaccountably entertaining Gerard Butler). Codirectors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders understand more about visualizing the joy of flight than James Cameron ever will.
How to Train Your Dragon: An IMAX 3D Experience
PG • 1 hour 38 min • 2010