I admit I thought I wouldn’t be able to write much of a review for this live-action reboot of How to Train Your Dragon. The movie uses almost exactly the same script that Dean DeBlois wrote 15 years ago for the animated feature with a few tweaks here and there to extend the movie for an extra 30 minutes. Many of the key moments are shot-per-shot exact recreations of the animated movie too. This is all thanks to the fact that unlike Disney, Universal approached DeBlois to produce and direct the live-action feature according to an interview with DeBlois by The Hollywood Reporter. Disney did not give the same courtesy to DeBlois and his co-writer and co-director Chris Sanders for their first animated movie, Lilo and Stitch, which is glaringly apparent in some of the script changes and decisions made for that live-action adaptation.
“Even now I can’t quite get my head around it, especially being that I’m intimately involved in one and a complete stranger to the other. The big difference is that Universal approached me as the original filmmaker, which is something that I don’t think any of the Disney remakes have done. So that was flattering and an honor. And to be frank, I selfishly didn’t want to see somebody else’s version of [How to Train Your Dragon],” DeBlois tells The Hollywood Reporter.
So unlike the many other live-action remakes, there are big nods and scenes that reflect the original animated film perfectly since the original filmmaker is at the helm for this movie. Why remake the original almost perfectly like the animated movie with live-action characters when one can just watch the original animated movie? Basically, Universal, and all the other studios doing these remakes, want to make more money with property from their vault sadly instead of betting on an untested new story and movie which might flop at the box office.
Anyway, I was curious to see the remake nonetheless to see how it compares to the original animated feature. I was not disappointed. Like I said before, every single memorable scene was perfectly recreated by the cast. I was surprised to see that Gerard Butler reprised his role as Stoic the Vast, but this time in full view of the camera! Butler slid back into Stoick almost seamlessly in the live-action movie. Mason Thames, who plays Hiccup, may not sound like Jay Baruchel who has voiced Hiccup across the How to Train Your Dragon universe for 3 movies and several TV series and shorts that take place in-between the movies, but Thames plays the awkward Hiccup who only wants to make his father proud superbly. The chemistry between Thames and Butler as Hiccup and Stoick really tug at your heartstrings just like the original movie, and there are more interactions between the father and son for added emotional effect.
The rest of Hiccup’s crew, portray their animated counterparts wonderfully as well. I especially liked the fact that they cast Bronwyn James to play Ruffnut with Harry Trevaldwyn as Tuffnut which is unlike the animated feature where the fraternal twins were more alike in physical appearance. The contrast makes the pair more humorous when they talk about themselves and is a nice show of inclusivity for larger kids besides Julian Dennison as Fishlegs.
Nico Parker who plays the scrappy Astrid, the best among the young Vikings, has been given a larger backstory for the live-action feature, which explains why in the beginning, she’s so frustrated with Hiccup trying to ‘muscle’ his way into the crew. Parker portrays Astrid as the lone alpha wolf in the pack who has had to train the hardest to earn the respect of the village. Seeing that tough exterior slowly give way to Hiccup’s point of view is magical. Another character whose role was expanded for the live-action is Berk’s elder, Gothi, played by Naomi Wirthner. We see more of her in the background silently observing and judging the young Vikings through their trials at dragon camp.
Also, there’s another nice nod of inclusivity in this second telling of a story about Vikings and dragons. The movie makes it a point to note that Vikings from across the world have joined the Berk Vikings to make a stand against the dragons. We see background Vikings from the Far East and the land of the Sun included, making for a more diverse Viking band in Berk. Although they may not have lead roles in the story, it’s nice to see they’re a part of the story.
Some of the most notable differences though between the animated and live-action movies is the incredible advances in CGI in the 15 years since the animated version was released. Everything is more detailed, vibrant, and intricate cinematography wise in the scenery and sweeping views as Hiccup and Toothless soar across the island. All the dragons’ textures and features are ramped up to the point you can feel the dragons’ scales in your hands. The scenery and the dragons are just more breathtaking in the live-action.
Even though most of the live-action movie is basically a repeat of the animated one, at least with the original filmmaker at the helm, decisions weren’t made to ruin memories of the original animated movie. As for these live-action recreations possibly of the entire trilogy, here’s what DeBlois said in The Hollywood Reporter interview.
“I never want these [live-action films] to be replacements of the animated films, but if [live-action] allows us to explore and look down some dark alleys and pull out a little bit more depth and dimension with characters and unexplored story, then that seems exciting to me. So I’m happy to continue doing it until that opportunity goes away.”
The post Review: “How to Train Your Dragon” (2025): A Live-Action Adaptation that’s NOT a Disappointment! appeared first on Anime Superhero News.
