DreamWorks is jumping on the bandwagon of live-action remakes with their latest film, a live-action remake of 2010’s animated hit How to Train Your Dragon. It’s not a retooling or a reimagining of the story of a teenage Viking named Hiccup and his best friend, a fire-breathing dragon. No, it’s a straight remake, just with living actors and CGI dragons.
The story is the same as the animated classic. Set on the island of Berk, Hiccup (Mason Thames, The Black Phone) strikes and wounds the most dangerous dragon of all…the dreaded Night Fury… during a dragon attack. No one sees it happen, so of course no one believes him because, well, Hiccup just isn’t like his father, Viking Chief Stoick (once again played by Gerard Butler).
The day after the battle, Hiccup sets off to find the Night Fury. When he finally does, he can’t bring himself to kill the helpless dragon. So instead, he frees him. Thus begins a friendship between the young Viking and the dragon, transforming sworn enemies as they start to learn from each other and work together to get Toothless, Hiccup’s name for the Night Fury, flying once again.
While Hiccup trains with his dragon in secret, he’s also learning how to fight dragons to the death back at his village. Working with Toothless, he learns techniques and tricks to ward off dragons and to make them listen. He becomes the star pupil, which enrages Astrid (Nico Parker, Suncoast) who was, until Hiccup’s strange uptick in skills, the best fighter among the young Vikings.
It’s when Hiccup and Toothless are flying together, along with a shocked and upset but starting to come around Astrid, that they discover the nest of dragons. They also find the giant, ancient dragon that threatens both their worlds. It then falls on Hiccup and Toothless to find a way to bring Vikings and dragons together if they are to have any hope of survival.
With the same director (Dean DeBlois) as the original animated trilogy at the helm, an almost identical script, and impressive-looking production sets, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake is a visual spectacle that, sadly, fails to capture the heart and emotion of the original film. It’s a soulless incarnation.
Gerard Butler is one of the best elements in the film, reprising his role as Stoick and looking just like the character did in the original. Butler owns this role and knows exactly how to play it. He also has solid chemistry with Thames as Hiccup in their shared scenes.
Mason Thames does a great job bringing Hiccup to life, looking almost identical to the animated character and at times sounding like Jay Baruchel, the voice of Hiccup in the animated films. He delivers a memorable performance opposite the CGI and puppet Toothless, making the creature seem almost real.
Nico Parker is horribly miscast as Astrid, the mighty Viking fighter who at first disdains Hiccup but after learning his secret (and getting a dragon ride) begins to fall for him. Parker’s delivery of her lines lacks impact, giving the impression that she is struggling to recite her dialogue. Plus, Parker and Mason have absolutely no chemistry.
The flying scenes are another problem, with quick camera cuts and herky-jerky movement. The movie fails to create the feeling for the audience of soaring with Toothless and Hiccup as the original did so brilliantly.
The puppet and CGI dragons do look exactly like the dragons in the original film but simply don’t capture the personalities of Toothless and the other dragons. The cute and lovable factor is missing.
DreamWorks’ live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake is a well-crafted, faithful adaptation of the original. And that’s the problem. It’s too faithful. The live-action version doesn’t offer anything new and is missing the animated film’s heart. It’s an unnecessary remake that feels like a cash grab.
GRADE: C+
Rating: PG for sequences of intense action and peril
Running Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Release Date: Jun 13, 2025
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