It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years since the original Dreamworks Animation release of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. It was a massive box-office success, and a staple family movie to many generations who absolutely loved the tales of Toothless. Those intervening years up until now have also spawned movie sequels and TV series, so it seemed inevitable that a live-action reimaging would be on the cards eventually.
Dreamworks have done a sensational job in transferring this into live-action. Of course, the CGI is top drawer (and you’d expect it to be), but what they have managed to retain is the clear characterisation traits that made the original what it was. If we use Disney as a comparison, their live action output has been a very mixed bag over the years, with only ‘The Jungle Book’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’ really delivering something special. The rest have all lacked Disney’s trademark magic, with some truly awful casting choices along the way too. ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ doesn’t suffer from any of those problems. It’s perfectly cast and has assembled an ensemble that really give the characters genuine warmth and heart, whilst maintaining the aura that made these characters so beloved in the first place, all those years ago.
If you’ve forgotten, the plot mirrors the original animation perfectly, and follows the inhabitants of the Isle of Berk, where dragons have caused problems for the Viking settlers there for many a year. With his father Stoic (Gerard Butler) in charge of protecting the citizens of his land, Hiccup (Mason Thames) has ambitions to be a famous dragon slayer like his father. But when he has an encounter with a Night Fury, believed to be one of the rarest breeds of dragons there is, it’s not long before Hiccup and his new friend (named Toothless) forge a new friendship together. But will the townsfolk be willing to listen to Hiccup and try to understand the dragons, or will their fears get the better of them?
Leading the film exceptionally well is Mason Thames, who you’ll recognise from ‘The Black Phone’. He delivered a sensational turn in that horror film (and will reprise his role in the upcoming sequel) and has now graduated to headlining a massive studio franchise in ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. He handles the pressure effortlessly well, and is fantastic as Hiccup, managing to capture the traits that were so vividly brought to life by Jay Baruchel who voiced the original.
Another young talent to keep an eye out for is Nico Parker, who plays Astrid here. Parker has impressed in every role I’ve seen her in, including ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy’, ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘Dumbo’. Another performer who delivers real screen presence in every job she tackles, Parker is a perfect screen-partner to Mason Thames and the two have a natural chemistry that makes this film tick along nicely. Add in a scene-stealing performance from the always-brilliant Gerard Butler, reprising his role as Hiccup’s father Stoick, Viking leader of the Isle of Berk and you have a wonderful leading cast. Butler clearly has fun with the larger-than-life character, but he takes the role seriously which is why it all works so well. It’s one of his finest performances to date. Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn and Peter Serafinowicz are also on-hand to help make ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ a success.
With outstanding set-pieces, some amazing effects and some breath-taking footage that utilises IMAX to its fullest potential, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is a fantastic family movie that does justice to Cressida Cowell’s seminal book, with writer/director Dean DeBlois delivering a sumptuous looking movie, much like he did with the original film way back in 2010. A must-see family treat!
Cast: Mason Thames, Gerard Butler, Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Peter Serafinowicz Director: Dean DeBlois Writer: Dean DeBlois Certificate: PG Duration: 125 mins Released by: Universal Release date: 9th June 2025
