Chinese audiences praise 'How to Train Your Dragon' finale

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, which has earned a respectable reputation at the U.S. box office, debuted on the Chinese mainland Friday. As the third installment of the franchise, it brings the series full circle with a bittersweet ending. No spoilers ahead.  

This time, Hiccup and Toothless leave their home to explore a hidden world. Dragons and riders fight together to protect the world they treasure.

Movie buffs don't have to watch the previous installments to understand the plot and enjoy the breathtaking visual effects. 

Visually stunning

Fans who already saw the film said that this one is worth seeing at an IMAX theater to experience the visual effects.

Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins brought his talent to the stunning visuals, from skyscapes to intricate dragon dens.

Special expectations

The plot introduces Toothless, the lead dragon, to a  female of the same species. Their first date is set to The Lion King's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."

Movie buffs on the Chinese mainland may be especially excited to hear the voice of popular idol Liu Haoran dubbed over the original actor.

This is Liu Haoran's first time for an animated film voice over, In order to get as close as possible to the character, he revealed that his body language during the recording was extremely invested, where he was literally dancing and skipping.

With a large fan base, Liu Haoran brings a broader audience to the theater. Many fans messaged him on his Weibo: “I'm coming to see you!”.

Liu said that the How to Train Your Dragon series has accompanied his growth in the past ten years, and “The Hidden World” is definitely an epic finale.

So far, the movie received a respectable 7.8 on Douban, the Chinese version of Rotten Tomatoes in the U.S.

(CGTN)