DreamWorks has officially entered the live-action remake era, and first up on the reimagining conveyor belt is How to Train Your Dragon. And honestly? It’s good. It’s really good. But also… it’s the same movie.
Directed by Dean DeBlois, the same man behind the original animated trilogy, this live-action take sticks so closely to the 2010 film that at times I wondered if I’d just hit “realism” mode on the original Blu-ray. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially when the story is this charming and well-paced, but don’t expect major surprises. If you know the beats of the original, you’ll be nodding along here like a Viking elder who’s heard this tale around the fire a hundred times.
Now, I understand why this remake exists. Like it or not, some audiences still write off animated films, ignorantly assuming they’re just for kids. A live-action version is a strategic way to pull in that crowd of people who never gave the original a chance simply because it was a cartoon. If this gets more people to experience the magic of How to Train Your Dragon, then hey, I’m all for it.
Let’s talk about Toothless—because how can we not? In this version, the Night Fury is somehow even more expressive and adorable, coming off less like a terrifying apex predator and more like someone’s goofy, loyal black lab with wings. He tilts his head. He purrs. He blinks those giant eyes. It’s almost too much. If they had leaned in any further, we’d be buying Toothless-brand chew toys and leashes at Target.
Mason Thames, the actor playing Hiccup, turns in a solid performance. Awkward, earnest, and likable, which is exactly what the role demands. There’s a genuine sweetness to his interactions with Toothless, and his growth over the course of the film remains one of the strongest emotional throughlines. The supporting cast including Gerard Butler (reprising his role from the animated films), Nico Parker, Nick Frost, and Julian Dennison all do what they need to do, most characters are painted with the same brush strokes as the animated versions, though, I very much enjoyed Parker’s portrayal of Astrid.
Visually, the film is impressive, but here’s where it gets weird. The VFX are undeniably polished; dragons soar, flames burn, wings ripple in the wind, but I found myself asking why. Why am I watching a realistic CGI dragon recreate the exact same flight scenes when the animated ones were already perfect? It’s beautiful, sure, but occasionally it feels like a very expensive retread of its animated self.
That said, the flying sequences are still thrilling, and the emotional beats still land—especially the big Toothless and Hiccup moments. There’s real heart here, and while the remake doesn’t necessarily add much, it doesn’t take anything away either.
How to Train Your Dragon (2025) is a lovingly made, visually gorgeous, and emotionally satisfying retelling of a story we already know and love. It doesn’t quite justify its existence beyond “but what if real,” but for fans of the original, it’s a warm return to Berk that still manages to stir the heart. Now if I can just get myself down to Epic Universe for a real taste of Berk…
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