How To Train Your Dragon: Movie Review

Cast: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost
Director: Dean DuBlois

Some 15 years after the original animated film wowed audiences with its mix of heart and humour, the live-action version of the perennially popular first How To Train Your Dragon has a lot to live upto.

And while it's occasionally in love with its own montages of soaring dragons and rousing orchestral moments, this faithful adaptation will leave family audiences satisfied - even if it has added 30 minutes on to the original's run time for no discernable reason.

For those unfamiliar with the tale, it's set in the Viking-run village of Berk which finds itself constantly at war with marauding dragons. Among the villagers is Hiccup (Thames, a reasonable version of the rugged nasal charm of the original's Jay Baruchel) whose faither is the village's chief (Butler, reprising his role and clearly at home doing so). 

Only while the villagers prefer to attack the dragons with swords and strength, Hiccup takes a more inventive approach, setting him at odds with his father and his aspirations for him. But one day, when he downs a hitherto-unseen Night Fury dragon, he finds a new friend in the wounded creature - and a secret that could change Berk's future forever.

The 2025 version of How To Train Your Dragon does remarkably well at hitting the same beats as before - and while the film hasn't played around with Toothless's cat-like look and behaviour, the film's clearly not wanting to try anything radically different either.

It makes for an amiable and recognisably enjoyable night out at the cinema, which families will enjoy more due to generational watching habits. A great story is still a great story, no matter what format it's presented in - and this one about destiny, friendship, forging your own path and the bonds with animals still hits the highs it wants to.

It's not all good news though.

The relationship between Hiccup and Astrid feels somewhat rote and flaccid and the extra 30 minutes can largely be put down to the filmmakers wanting to show off the mix of CGI flying and music - not all of the CGI hangs together with some moments showing very minor creaks.

But at its heart, the tale of Toothless and Hiccup is wonderfully intact and comfortably familiar. Given the missteps Disney has made with its live-action films, this is to be applauded for improving on the original without massively changing it. And it's to be hoped the studios won't insist on the other films in the franchise being trotted out for box office's sake.