'How to Train Your Dragon' fires up preschooler

"How to Train Your Dragon," courtesy of DreamWorks Animation LLC (c) 2010

CC, Ian and I enjoyed an early screening last week of DreamWorks' latest animated movie, "How to Train Your Dragon 3D."

Not knowing much about the movie other than the bare-bones plot -- a Viking teen who doesn't fit in with his dragon-slaying family and actually becomes friends with one of the feared creatures -- I wasn't sure what to expect. And I had no idea if CC would even keep the glasses on -- that's been a problem in the past.

But we were completely wowed. The story is adorable and accessible, and the 3D is perfect for dragon flights over seas and between mountains. At times, my senses were even tricked into thinking I was on some dragon-fueled roller coaster. Best part of all, CC kept the glasses on -- even though they seemed to be twice the size of her face.

The movie, hitting big screens nationwide on March 26, does feature some fight scenes between the Vikings and dragons, and I worried about the fear factor with my little one. She flinched a little bit, but she never turned away. She was in it for the long haul.

The voice cast was also fun, with Jay Baruchel as Viking teen Hiccup, Gerard Butler as burly dad Stoick and America Ferrera as the tough-as-nails Viking girl Astrid, among others. (My one quibble is that all the Viking adults had Scottish accents whereas the kids were American. I thought it made sense for Hiccup, because he was different, but for the rest of them? Maybe the brogue is just something you grow into.)

Visually, the film was amazing, and the Night Fury dragon Toothless gorgeously rendered and vulnerable, as were most of the dragons.

The story of a boy feeling different from the crowd -- and his own father -- and finding confidence and kinship through a seemingly terrifying yet loyal animal is a lovely story, and a movie we'd definitely see again.