Solid improvement over the third film (which in turn was a solid improvement over the second), this is in every aspect easily the best installment of the franchise since the original film. It is also again impressing with how many different types of usage they can get out of the franchise's key mythology of a dragon sharing its heart with a human. The film is a direct sequel to the third one (which was a prequel, making this chronologically film 2 out of 4 and release-wise film 4 out of 4 -- though a fifth is apparently being made), but being set two generations later, the only character it shares beyond a few short flashbacks is the dragon. In other words, you don't need to see any of the other ones to follow this one. And if you like this sort of thing, why not? It'll hardly blow your mind, but it's good fun, and it's got Patrick Stewart voicing a dragon. If you ask more than that, you're just being unreasonable. ( )