How to Train Your Dragon isn’t the first big-budget live-action remake of an animated classic; it’s not even the first this summer thanks to Lilo & Stitch, but it just might be the best. Faithful almost to a fault, this adaptation manages to recapture the magic of the flagship DreamWorks Animation original for a new generation with jaw-dropping visuals and impeccable performances from the spot-on cast.
For generations, the Vikings on the jagged isle of Berk have fought a bitter war against endless waves of dragons with heavy losses on each side. The unconventional Hiccup (Mason Thames), the son of the legendary chief Stoic the Vast (Gerard Butler), is a terrible Viking but innovative beyond measure. When a chance encounter leads him to befriend a wounded Night Fury dragon that he names Toothless, the very foundation of their Viking society is about to be shaken to the core.
The original film is, in my estimation, a masterpiece and one of my all-time favorite films. While I was intrigued by the prospect of the live-action recreation, there was a great deal of trepidation on my end – thanks in part to many forgettable attempts of other animated classics to jump to live-action in recent years. While this How to Train Your Dragon doesn’t add much to the overall story, why mess with perfection? The film allows the cast and the amazing CG effects to reimagine the world of Berk and its magnificent beasts in a fantastic family summer movie experience. And did I mention that John Powell returns to use and rework the amazing original score? Yeah, get ready for goosebumps.
Everything about this How to Train Your Dragon remake was either going to be made or broken by the casting of Hiccup, voiced so brilliantly by Jay Baruchel in the three animated films, not to mention the many seasons of the underrated DreamWorks Animation television series. There’s no other way to put it: Mason Thames (Monster Summer) is Hiccup come to life. Not only is it uncanny how much he looks like his animated counterpart, but Thames also nails the wry delivery Baruchel brought to the character without ever sounding like a parody or impression.
Riding that sentiment, the other casting of dire importance due to the emotional weight of his character arc with Hiccup is Stoic. Thankfully, they already had the perfect actor- the one that played him in the original, Gerard Butler (300). Stoic and Hiccup’s relationship is the crux of this film, and even though I’ve seen the original more times than I can count, a few moments between the father and son late in this film still got me teary-eyed. His voice work in the animated trilogy was moving, stellar stuff, and Butler doesn’t miss a beat bringing Stoic to live-action in what is now a career-defining role for him – especially if you know what’s to come for the character in the already greenlit second live-action film.
The supporting cast of emerging characters all find good representation too, ranging from good enough to fantastic. Astrid (Nico Parker), the badass fellow student in dragon fighting and love interest for Hiccup, is missing her trademark blonde locks, but Parker otherwise embodies the character from physicality to voice work. Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) is the spitting image of Gobber, blacksmith and teacher/mentor of the students, taking over from Craig Ferguson in the animated films. The rest of Hiccup’s crew, including rival Snotlout (Gabriel Powell), best friend Fishlegs (Deadpool 2‘s Julian Dennison), and twins Ruffnut (Bronwyn James) and Tuffnut (Harry Trevaldwyn), are near direct line-for-line adaptations in their smaller roles. The one slight misfire might be James’ Ruffnut, but Trevaldwyn is eerily accurate as the humorously hardheaded Tuffnut.
The real-life actors deserve heaps of praise, but the hardworking effects team deserves just as many accolades for successfully re-imagining the dragons in live-action without losing the brilliant designs and personality. Toothless is perfection. He was perfection in the original and even more so now. It certainly helps that DeBlois was in charge of writing and directing both the live and animated versions and didn’t feel the need to tweak what was so magical with the character. The physicality of Toothless’s now more weighted movements, coupled with the sincerity of his facial expressions, will melt everyone who has ever loved an animal/pet and are the backbone of what makes this franchise work. On top of that, it gave the artists a chance to make dragons like the Monstrous Nightmare, known for setting itself on fire, to be truly terrifying and intimdating – especially when you see how small these kids are in comparison when confronting them.
Aside from a few line re-toolings, like the cringey “You’re the Viking!” from the animated version, all the major lines and big plot moments are intact. Did this new How to Train Your Dragon absolutely need to be made? No, but I’m sure glad they did. The final product is handled with such genuine care that the love is infectious. This heartwarming adapation will thrill old fans and endear the franchise to a whole new generation and that’s better than a mug of Yaknog!
Score: 4 out 5