Despite having only seen the Dreamworks originals once each in theaters, I was still optimistic for the company’s first foray into the live action remake arena. Seeing dragons interact with humans in the real world, built off identical mythology, has a certain appeal to it. Would Hiccup and Toothless live up to the lofty expectations fans will have built up to see How to Train Your Dragon translated into a different format? The answer is a resounding yes. Director Dean DeBlois, co-director of the 3D-animated 2010 take, brings a flawless vision to life in a fresh way. Perfectly cast, stuffed with action, and lavishly faithful to the original, How to Train Your Dragon is every bit a masterpiece as what came before.
Welcome to the sleepy isle of Burke, where an ancient battle continues to be waged between human and dragon. Hiccup (Mason Thames, The Black Phone) doesn’t exactly excel when it comes to dragon training. His disappointed father, Stoick (Gerard Butler, who also voiced the character in 2010), just wants Hiccup to build up repertoire to kill these ferocious beasts. Hiccup certainly does have a set of skills—he seems adept at building things for starters, and contains mechanical device knowledge that would make A Series of Unfortunate Events character Violet envious. Hiccup uses a device meant to tie up dragons out in the wild, where he surprisingly manages to catch a rare breed: the legendary Night Fury dragon.
In capturing this dragon, Hiccup embraces his destiny to finally slay a fowl beast. However, when it comes time to do the deed, Hiccup lets the Night Fury loose instead. At first, the duo do not seem too fond of each other no matter how hard Hiccup tries to win over Toothless. The look-away first touch has been pulled directly from the frame of the original. A nostalgia rush from recreating series iconography aside, these visual cues are downright gorgeous. They share a nasty fish together, and everything changes for the better. The two quickly bond, developing a close relationship. Pet lovers will find plenty to adore in wide-eyed, protective beauty, Toothless.
Thames plays Hiccup with a naiveté that evolves into a quiet confidence. With his wispy locks and lanky figure, Thames both looks and acts the part even when required to get passionate. As he learns more about the ways Toothless responds to stimuli, Hiccup becomes the veritable talk of the Isle. Even his trainer, the hysterical Gobber (Nick Frost, Hot Fuzz) can hardly believe Hiccup’s miraculous progression. Hiccup goes from a laughing stock to a legend in the blink of an eye. Handling this newfound fame does not come easy to Hiccup either, who goes out of his way to avoid the public eye.
How to Train Your Dragon delights in not only the depiction of this essential friendship, but also in its world-building. This truly feels like an epic universe where dragons roam free, and a constant sense of danger backs up this claim. The use of practical effects—including animatronics, puppetry, and physical sets—only adds to the magic. The disparate elements work in tandem, making the CGI an essential part of the package to only aid what already exists. Dragon flight scenes in particular soar, given that DeBlois was sure to make these practical as much as possible. Toothless is a fully-formed creation that demands to be snuggled.
While Thames does an exceptional job carrying this film on his shoulders, the supporting cast also contribute a great deal. Butler, returning as Stoick, is nearly unrecognizable. He adds to the comedic relief, slipping into a harsh accent that steals scenes. Hiccup’s friends, Fishlegs (Julian Dennison, Deadpool 2), Ruffnut (Bronwyn James, Wicked), and Tuffnut (Harry Trevaldwyn, The Bubble) help to form a believable awkward best friends unit. The fifth member of that group, Astrid (Nico Parker, Dumbo), initially appears to be little more than a rival for best in class against Hiccup. Instead, Astrid’s huge heart and spunky attitude call for her to be an essential rather than a supplemental.
Ultimately, How to Train Your Dragon makes an excellent case for Dreamworks to give the live action treatment to some of their other franchises. When kids or adults get bored of one version, they can seamlessly switch to the other. Hopefully they will finish out the full trilogy in this format—the casting is good enough that seeing these character arcs play out simply must happen. The emotional core remains intact, as do the messages about the power of friendship and overcoming prejudice. Hiccup follows his own path despite hearing the contrary from everyone around him. What a great message for kids too, especially given current generations and their tendency to blindly follow the status quo. Sometimes staying in one’s own lane can be rewarding, though it does not necessarily always come with a free dragon.
How to Train Your Dragon takes to the skies in theatres everywhere now.
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