The live-action adaptation of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ sure is Toothless
How to train your dragon? As we learned back in 2010, it takes patience and fish.
As a passionate cinephile, I find myself pondering over the question: Why return to the world of “How to Train Your Dragon” once more, especially with this new live-action adaptation? Filmmaker Dean DeBlois seems to grapple with this query as well. The original animated film, co-created with Chris Sanders, has become a cherished 21st-century children’s gem, a vibrant and enchanting tale that delves into the theme of interspecies understanding. Over the past fifteen years, DeBlois has guided the sequel, the trilogy, and now this live-action rendition, which essentially retells the same story from the beginning. Is it accurate to label his latest work a reboot when he’s been consistently working on them? It seems that the line between continuation and reboot becomes blurred in this instance.
At least it makes for an engaging story. Again, we find ourselves captivated by the extraordinary friendship between a Viking outcast named Hiccup and a dragon called Toothless, who is initially feared as ferocious but reveals a playful side like a Bengal kitten and loyalty akin to the Black Stallion. Both hail from societies where small acts of kindness are perceived as grave risks. For many years, the village of Berk has suffered from dragon thefts – these dragons were later captured and used for training future dragon hunters. However, Hiccup, who transforms from an outcast to a dragon rider, along with his spirited pet, demonstrate that peace can be powerful too.
I can’t fathom the reasoning behind Hollywood remaking great films, especially when there are flaws in the original ones that need addressing. However, having successfully pulled off one or a few successful remakes, DeBlois doesn’t have much room to innovate and enhance further. The “How to Train Your Dragon” remake is just an extended version of the original.
A young lad, portrayed here by Mason Thames with a mix of mischief and awkwardness, was brought up believing that killing creatures is cool. However, he eventually starts to challenge his town’s belief that all outsiders are dangerous. As the character Hiccup learns, not every dragon is evil; it’s more accurate to say #NotAllDragons.
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This summer appears robust, offering an array of blockbuster hits from Hollywood, intelligent independent films, and just the right dose of entertaining yet brainless movies – all essential components for any summer movie diet.
Longing for something to aim at, I scan the skies restlessly, yearning to blend in with the rowdy barbarians of Berk, led by my father, the formidable Stoic the Vast (portrayed by Gerard Butler, who also lent his voice to the character). Deep down, my father’s stern demeanor conceals a worry that I might be a misguided product of his genes.
In my perspective, DeBlois has given a contemporary twist to his script by transforming this Nordic hamlet from an exclusive community of blondes into a diverse coalition of fighters. My beloved character Astrid (Nico Parker) is an immigrant who has bravely fought her way to Berk. This newcomer, with her intimidating side-eye, seems particularly skeptical towards the underprivileged and scrawny protagonist, intensifying the existing tension between them. Interestingly, Astrid appears to share more common ground with the film’s secondary antagonist, a bully named Snotlout Jorgenson (Gabriel Howell), who gets to deliver one of the original movie’s iconic lines: “Why bother reading when I can simply kill what the words tell me about?
Improving their positions hasn’t given Berk an edge against the dragons. As DeBlois surveys Berk’s community hall, it appears each resident is more battered and weary than the next. With this small adjustment, the franchise has taken a minor step towards becoming Oliver Stone for children – “Bjorn on the Fjords of July”. Stoic begins one of his pro-war speeches with a defiant statement such as, “So what if you’ve lost a limb?
In a twist of events, Hiccup’s dragon-training mentor, Gobber the Belch (played by Nick Frost), has suffered not just one but two major losses – an arm and a leg. To compensate, this blacksmith crafted an ingenious collection of interchangeable limbs: a sledgehammer, a hook, even a gesture set for when he needs to decide which student excels most as a new fighter. On screen, Frost and Butler radiate power even in casual sneakers. Yet, dressed in thick pelts that magnify their size, they appear to be enjoying themselves immensely. Their beards, impressive works of masculinity, are a spectacle on their own.
In simpler terms, Butler delivers the most convincing argument for allowing an actor to voice a cartoon character. Towards the end of the movie, he gives two intense glances – one towards Hiccup and another towards Toothless – that showcase his ability to bring life to a role when given the right part. I found Julian Dennison’s portrayal of Fishlegs Ingerman, a classmate of Hiccup’s who appears quite broad, both lively and scholarly. However, turning real cartoon characters into human-like cartoons does not significantly enhance the experience. Observing dirt under their nails is just as much a lateral shift as before.
As a movie enthusiast, I find myself yearning for more illumination rather than the half-baked naturalism that’s currently on display. The darkness enveloping the nighttime and interior scenes has me appealing fervently, by the Norns themselves: Could someone, for the love of all things sacred, please light up the place? I understand the Vikings didn’t have electric bulbs, but they also didn’t battle dragons. A glimpse of them would be a welcome treat.
In the same vein, each breathtaking shot of dragons in a tornado through a cave opening is counterbalanced by a dozen other potential masterpieces that have been shrouded in an uninviting cloak of “authentic” grime and mist. Instead, I long for the unadulterated elegance of a stark black dragon against a clear sky. The landscape is overburdened with distracting details – rocks, sun-kissed waves, and wisps of fog – that make me yearn for the simplicity of a dramatic silhouette of dragons soaring through the skies.
The aerial shots seem strangely devoid of wind. Hiccup and Astrid appear to be underage kids trying to blend in at the Saddle Ranch, waiting for someone to start the mechanical bull. Despite today’s technology, Toothless’ speed seems less convincing than Falkor the Luck Dragon from “The NeverEnding Story” did four decades ago. I believed Parker was good in last year’s teen drama “Suncoast,” where she portrayed a girl whose brother was dying of brain cancer. Here, her Astrid comes across as tough and pretty but also remarkably one-dimensional. Somehow, the character seems less lively in 3D than in 2D.
Animation, interestingly enough, serves as a platform for empathy. Despite knowing that cartoon characters aren’t genuine – whether it’s a mischievous rabbit, a cooking rat, or a dragon shimmering like salt licorice – our emotions somehow bring them to life. This is why most live-action remakes seem hollow at their core. They’re not just unnecessary; they’re disrespectful. They suggest that we can’t empathize with a world that doesn’t mirror ours. They hinder the full expression of our feelings.
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2025-06-11 21:01