---
title: "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world"
critics_score: 71
critics_reviews: 21
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019): what the critics said

Critics' score 71 from 21 reviews: 13 positive, 7 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics find How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World a warm, emotionally satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, with animation drawing the most consistent praise. The reviews single out the detailed settings, expressive dragons and scenes of flight, while Toothless and the Light Fury’s largely wordless courtship is a recurring highlight. For many, the affection for the characters and the treatment of growing up give the farewell enough weight to outweigh weaknesses in the plot.

The reservations centre on a thin villain, crowded plotting, underused supporting characters and comedy that can feel strained. Critics differ more sharply over the emotional payoff: some find it moving, while others think it relies too heavily on existing affection for the series. The spread is wide, though strongly negative responses are rare. Eye for Film offers the clearest dissent, finding the human characters thin and the story aimless, despite enjoying Toothless and the animal interaction.

## The Hollywood Reporter — Michael Rechtshaffen

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 January 2019. 

The critic finds the film a tender, emotionally resonant finale that matches or surpasses its predecessors. He especially praises the richly detailed animation, noting its striking visuals and lighting.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/how-train-your-dragon-hidden-world-review-1171582/)

## Screen Daily — Sarah Ward

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 January 2019. 

The standfirst presents the film as a strong finale for the beloved franchise. The accessible text singles out the franchise’s high note, but the full review is paywalled.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-review/5135430.article)

## Film Comment — Michael Sragow

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 

Sragow presents the film as an elating conclusion to the animated trilogy. He praises its vision of a paradise shared by a boy, a girl, and their dragons.

[Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/deep-focus-how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world/)

## Little White Lies — Beth Webb

Rating 4/4/4. 28 January 2019. 

Webb finds the film a satisfying, emotionally affecting farewell despite its thin plot and tepid villain. She praises its affection for the characters and its decision to let them go.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world)

## The Guardian — Wendy Ide

Rating 4/5. 3 February 2019. 

Ide finds the sequel delightful, with greater maturity in its characters and storytelling. She singles out the animation’s ability to create magical worlds and poignant, finely observed details.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/feb/03/how-to-train-your-dragon-hidden-world-review)

## Total Film — Neil Smith

Rating 4/5. 1 February 2019. 

The critic calls it an exciting, moving, visually accomplished finale, though some supporting characters and comic scenes disappoint. They particularly praise Toothless and Light Fury’s nearly silent courtship sequence and the tear-jerking climax.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-review/)

## Variety — Peter Debruge

Rating Critic's Pick. 2 January 2019. 

Debruge praises the film as a sincere and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, despite finding its villain and poacher plot less compelling. He particularly singles out the soaring dragon courtship, striking visuals, and expressive animation for praise.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-review-1203097629/)

## IndieWire — Michael Nordine

Rating B. 2 January 2019. 

Nordine finds the trilogy-ending film a strong, bittersweet conclusion, though Hiccup is a less compelling lead than Toothless. He singles out the vivid, eye-catching animation as the film’s highlight.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-review-cate-blanchett-1202029937/)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2019. 

Chang finds the film an imperfect but ultimately moving conclusion to the trilogy. He praises its elegiac ending and beautifully realized moments of flight, while faulting noisy action and strained banter.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-how-to-train-your-dragon-hidden-world-review-20190221-story.html)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 20 February 2019. 

The page appears to be a review of the specified film, but its text is inaccessible. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/20/movies/how-to-train-your-dragon-hidden-world-review.html)

## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd

Rating C+. 20 February 2019. 

Dowd finds the film visually dazzling but narratively perfunctory, making it a teary yet inessential conclusion. He praises Toothless’s comic appeal and the wordless courtship scenes, while criticizing the overplotted script and underdeveloped emotional bond.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-hidden-world-brings-the-how-to-train-your-dragon-tr-1832762012)

## Slant Magazine — Jake Cole

Rating 2.5/4. 21 February 2019. 

Cole finds the film’s reflections on growing up and letting go compelling, despite its smaller scale than its predecessors. He praises the vivid, disorienting action and the quieter moments that explore the costs of prosperity and changing relationships.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-review/)

## Empire — Ben Travis

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 28 January 2019. 

The review finds the finale heartfelt and beautifully designed, but says its emotional farewell falls short. Toothless’s lovestruck antics are singled out as a charming highlight, while cluttered plot threads and supporting characters weaken the film.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/train-dragon-hidden-world-review/)

## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen

Rating 3/5. 23 January 2019. 

De Semlyen finds the finale somewhat diminished, despite the franchise’s satisfying simple core. The review praises its animation but says the outing feels overcrowded.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world)

## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 22 February 2019. 

Ebiri finds the film a curiously elegiac but uneven conclusion, whose impact depends on viewers’ attachment to the series. He praises the striking imagery and visual splendor of the dragons and settings, while finding the humor and premise familiar.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-review.html)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2019. 

The critic finds the third film delightful and emotionally satisfying. They praise its visually beautiful, convincingly realized dragons and especially Toothless’s wordless courtship with the Light Fury.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-3-film-review-dean-deblois-cate-blanchett/)

## Den of Geek — Don Kaye

Rating 4/5. 19 February 2019. 

Kaye calls the film a poignant, satisfying capper to the trilogy, despite underused supporting characters. He singles out the animation and Toothless’s dialogue-free courtship as visually astonishing and emotionally powerful.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-review/)

## /Film — Hoai-Tran Bui

Rating 8/10. 22 February 2019. 

The critic calls it an imperfect but tender, emotionally satisfying finale to the franchise. They praise its dazzling animation and especially the expressive, wordless scenes between Toothless and the Light Fury.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/564507/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-review/)

## Paste — Oktay Ege Kozak

Rating 7.8/10. 23 February 2019. 

Kozak praises the film as a satisfying, emotionally resonant conclusion to Hiccup and Toothless’s story. He singles out its tearjerking finale and breathtaking action, while noting some underused characters and contrived plot points.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world)

## Consequence — Blake Goble

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2019. 

Goble finds that the film takes time to get going but ultimately delivers a satisfying, emotionally resonant conclusion to the trilogy. He particularly praises its painterly visuals and the aerial ballet between Toothless and his female counterpart.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2019/02/film-review-how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world/)

## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 3 December 2019. 

Kermode finds the sequel uninspired and says it leaves fans of the original short-changed. She singles out Toothless and the animal interaction as highlights, while criticizing the thin human characters and aimless plot.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-2019-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world.md