How to Train Your Dragon Review
How to Train Your Dragon (2025) Film Review from the 24th Annual Tribeca Film Festival, a movie directed by Dean DeBlois, written by William Davies, Cressida Cowell and Dean DeBlois and starring Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Gabriel Howell, Julian Dennison, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Murray McArthur, Peter Serafinowicz, Naomi Wirthner, Ruth Codd, Andrea Ware, Anna Leong Brophy, Marcus Onilude, Pete Selwood, Daniel-John Williams and Kate Kennedy.
Dean DeBlois’ live-action remake of the animated gem, How to Train Your Dragon, is a visual spectacle that is sure to receive some love from the Academy of Motion Pictures Art and Sciences as far as the visual effects and other technical achievements of the picture are concerned. As for the screenplay, that’s another matter. This film rests on a decent basic premise, but is ballooned into a two-hour plus movie which feels like it has some padding in the form of goofy banter between Vikings at the start of the picture. Whenever the dragon(s) come on screen, the film is a sheer delight to behold. These dragons outshine the humans, for sure, and the visual effects team of the new How to Train Your Dragon have crafted a summer movie extravaganza like no other in terms of the look, feel and sound of the picture. Though the humans are fine, the dragons truly rule the show here. And, that’s okay.
As the film’s main premise begins, we meet the prestigious Viking dragon hunter on the isle of Berk, Stoick (Gerard Butler). Thinking Stoick would be the central character wouldn’t be a bad initial belief, thanks to the always reliable Butler’s casting, but the film centers mainly on the character of Stoick’s son, Hiccup (Mason Thames). When Hiccup comes in contact with a rare dragon, the title of the film steers the picture towards the direction of Hiccup trying to mold the cute dragon (who becomes known as Toothless) into a friend instead of a foe, thus changing the dynamic that has come to be commonplace on the isle of Berk.
There’s a female love interest for the young Hiccup named Astrid. She’s played by the great Nico Parker (Suncoast) who starts off the film a little stiff, but grows into the role by the time the halfway mark comes around. Parker ultimately shines in the role and has a good rapport with Thames who is definitely up to par as Hiccup. Since it’s a story of young romance in a family film, there’s no need for a lot of chemistry between Thames and Parker, but there’s enough to make the viewer root for Toothless to help bring the pair together by the time the ending of the picture arrives.
Toothless is the most enjoyable aspect of How to Train Your Dragon. This is a cute dragon who has been crafted with terrific attention to detail, especially the creature’s expressive greenish eyes. Don’t believe the naysayers who say this film doesn’t live up to the original cartoon. In fact, it most certainly equals the quality of the original animated movie in almost every way and surpasses it in terms of the special effects. Toothless is upstaged towards the end, though, by the large dragon with multiple eyes whose mouth Astrid ends up inside. Astrid has to crack this dragon’s mouth open in order to escape by destroying the creature’s teeth in one of the most visually impressive sequences of the picture.
Hiccup is the quintessential movie hero. He’s a screw-up whose father wants to see fight dragons. Hiccup is sensitive towards the creatures and would prefer that the Vikings and dragons live in harmony together, if at all possible. Hiccup develops as a strong character who isn’t afraid to take risks and fight for what is right by the time the picture reaches its fantastic third act. Mason Thames is certainly likable enough even if Nico Parker does pull the rug out from under him at times with her slightly stronger characterization.
Everything about the genuine purpose of How to Train Your Dragon is revealed during the movie’s big-budget concluding forty-five minutes. Though the new remake serves as an emotionally uplifting action picture, it’s also an excuse to become the ultimate dragon movie with several different and wonderful looking dragons that the filmmakers are to be credited for in terms of bringing them to the silver screen. If you can see this movie in 3D or IMAX, you’ll want to do so in order to get the full effect of the fiery dragons who leap off the screen with intensity, kindness and ferocity.
Gerard Butler has some moments of true perfection on-screen such as when Stoick wishes his son, Hiccup, all the best and tells him that he loves him before Hiccup moves forward on a dangerous journey. Butler has a lot of heart invested in this performance and it’s a nice change of pace from the typical contemporary action roles he has taken on recently.
How to Train Your Dragon is ultimately a tear-jerking thrill ride with its amazingly conceived scenes of the Vikings setting out to find the dragons to battle and, then, learning how to co-exist peacefully with the creatures. Yes, the script is a bit threadbare, but the visual effects are so wonderful to behold that this film is most likely going to be one of the first blockbusters of the summer. And rightfully so. How to Train Your Dragon teaches the viewer about the power of family and friendship as well as how things can transpire so much more effectively when everybody (and dragon) just learns to get along. That’s a valid message in today’s times that no matter what the differences may be, the world is a better place when we’re all on the same side. How to Train Your Dragon is a blast.
Rating: 7.5/10
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