The Wasteland Reviewer

How to Train Your Dragon (2025) Written Review

It is Dreamworks’ turn to take a beloved animated film and turn it into a live action one? Disney has been doing this for over 20 years and most recently went headlong into plenty of criticism and rage from fan bases. Not many of these remakes have been creative and artistic successes (most of them have made a pretty penny at the box office). The backlash has gotten so bad that many fans are turning away from Disney to find new, fresh stories from elsewhere. But Disney is not the only production company that can play that game! Just 15 years after the original animated film made such a splash, writer/director Dean DeBlois took the reins again and brought his beloved work into live action. 

How does this fantasy adventure translate into live action? Quite well with the work done by DeBlois and company. First off, the dragons look amazing. The visual effects are top notch and bring the more exaggerated designs for these creatures to life so organically. The visual effects only have a few moments where you can see the artificial scenery (mostly backgrounds). The effects are working overtime once the action kicks into gear. The opening attack on Berk is well staged and full of thrillers, close calls, and humor. The final battle is epic to say the least with DeBlois capturing the sense of scale so well. The flames and destruction are quite impressive and feel so real. Another key element would be the practical sets and production designs. The costuming and buildings in Berk are so organic. There are beautiful moments that grab you with the gorgeous landscapes of the island. This film is about 25 minutes longer than the original and most of that is the lack of “child pacing”. Each scene has more space to breathe and deliver some impactful emotional moments. This remake captures the heart, soul, and emotion of the original and even gets a little bit more depth. The more methodical pace does lead to some lulls in the center of the film but so much of the film just soars on its effect. How to Train Your Dragon has humor, heart, and emotion that really pulls you in.

Does this screenplay from DeBlois differ much from the original one? This is mostly the same exact movie (it even recycles the incredible score from the original with composer John Powell delivering all over again. There are some added moments that feel like they are attempting to strengthen the emotional elements of the film by providing character development. The themes are still poignant as this tale of misunderstanding creatures in the world still resonates. Hiccup still goes on with his journey of self-realization which is nailed perfectly by some strong turn moments between Hiccup and his father. You even get a good sense of Stoick’s motivations and his frustrations with his son. The budding romance between Hiccup and Astrid is rock solid as well. The plotting of this film is familiar with the original film’s beats being recreated with respect. There is not much added to this version, but those scenes do deliver in some shape or form.

How does the cast bring this film to life? Mason Thames comes in to portray the beloved protagonist of this franchise in Hiccup. Thames brings the emotion, quirks, and charm to make this young man so endearing. We feel the conflict in him when he comes face-to-face with Toothless for the first time. He has that awkward charm as he attempts to court Astrid which seems to work well on the big screen. This might be an odd statement but Toothless acts the socks off this flick. The way Toothless’ insecurity, elation, and fear come to life on that expressive face is fantastic. Gerard Butler (who was the only real choice for Stoick here) nails every bit of his original character. A true warrior when he needs to be. Humorous and jovial as well. But the raw emotion that Butler puts on display in this movie is quite impressive. You feel every bit of his heart breaking and his pride shaking in this film. Stoick’s character growth in this film is impressive, engaging, and rip with potential. Nick Frost is as great addition to the film as Gobber, who is a little tougher and gruffer than the original but fits in perfectly. Nico Parker does a fine job as the resourceful, talented, and strong Astrid. Her dynamic with Thames works well and you can buy-in to their budding connection. The rest of their young adult crew are rock solid, but they just don’t stand out as much in this film as they do in the original. 

Was this remake worthwhile? At the end of the day…this is basically the same film. There are a few added minor elements and some more space for certain scenes. This film continues to take the beloved music from the original and even keeps the dragon designs (just done with more ground computer-generated effects). Thames makes for a strong lead and the return of Butler was such a great decision. The action feels so impressive with its grand scale and effects while being placed in a mostly real environment. Deblois runs back his success in live-action, and it makes for an exciting and emotional experience.