300 (2006)
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Regan, Dominic West, Rodrigo Santoro
Rated: R for Graphic Battle Sequences Throughout, Some Sexuality and Nudity
Running Time: 1 h 57 m
TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5
STRENGTHS: Style, Action
WEAKNESSES: Writing, Style Over Substance
King Leonidas leads three hundred Spartans in a fight against King Xerxes and his massive army.
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How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)
Directed by: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, Kit Harrington
Rated: PG for Adventure Action and Some Mild Rude Humor
Running Time: 1 h 44 m
TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5
STRENGTHS: Animation, Production Design, Visual Storytelling, Final Scenes
WEAKNESSES: Uneven Pacing, Uninteresting Villain
After a dragon hunter threatens Berk, Hiccup and Toothless search for a place where dragons and humans might live together in peace.
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How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
Directed by: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wigg, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harrington
Rated: PG for Adventure Action and Some Mild Rude Humor
Running Time: 1 h 42 m
TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5
STRENGTHS: Worldbuilding, Story, Consequences, Characters, Emotional Connection, Music
WEAKNESSES: Supporting Character’s Subplot
After Hiccup and Toothless discover a mysterious new Dragon Rider, they find themselves at the center of a battle.
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How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Directed by: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, America Ferrara, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wigg, T.J. Miller, David Tennant
Rated: PG for Sequences of Intense Action and Some Scary Images, and Brief Mild Language
Running Time: 1 h 38 m
TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5
STRENGTHS: Story, Music, Cinematography, Production Design, World Building, Themes
WEAKNESSES: -
A young Viking who lives in a village that is perpetually attacked by dragons takes a new approach to handling the beasts.
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Reign of Fire (2002)
Directed by: Rob Bowman
Starring: Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey, Izabella Scorupco, Gerard Butler
Rated: PG-13 for Intense Action Violence
Running Time: 1 h 41 m
TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5
STRENGTHS: Concept, First and Second Acts, Acting, Some Visuals
WEAKNESSES: Third Act, Stupid Character Choices, Unbelievable Coincidences, Some Visuals
A post apocalyptic action thriller set in a world where dragons have wiped out much of the human population.
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