How to Train Your Dragon (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – Follows a young Viking as he aspires to hunt dragons, and how he becomes unexpectedly a friend of a young dragon.

My Take – While Disney remains determined to continue re-imagining their entire library of classic animated films into (mostly soulless) live-action adaptations, it was only a matter of time before Universal and DreamWorks Pictures too jumped on the lucrative remake bandwagon. Bringing to life DreamWorks Animation‘s (arguably) best work since their conception in 1994.

But, in a surprising turn of events the live-action adaptation of the beloved 2010 animated classic not just exceeds all expectations, it also seems to have a clear understanding of what made the original film work and draws you into its world right from the first scene.

Based on the 2003 novel by Cressida Cowell and once again directed by Dean DeBlois, this one is a genuinely faithful retelling of the same story, as faithful as it can be to the original animated film, that hits all the same emotional beats, not just emulating the animated original, but elevating it, and flying away with some of the best visuals I’ve seen all year.

Anchored by performances that are excellent across the board and tone that remains consistently hilariously intact, the film manages to be fun throughout, especially for younger audiences. Whether you’ve seen the original or not, on its own this one is an absolutely spectacular fantasy adventure that honors the original without trying to drastically change anything, delivering an exciting blockbuster poised to thrill all summer long.

Set in the fictional Viking village of Berk, which is frequently raided by dragons, who not just steal the livestock, but also endanger the residences, the story follows Hiccup (Mason Thames), a clumsy 16-year-old, who is just not as good at fighting as he is at inventing.

But remains determined to prove himself, especially to his father, Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), the village chieftain who has been looking for the dragons’ nest for years, and obviously sees his son as a disappointment, and Astrid (Nico Parker), on whom he has been crushing for some time now and has all the hallmarks of a true Viking. And during one such raids, Hiccup, using his latest invention, ends up doing just the impossible: bringing down a rarely seen dragon known as Night Fury.

However, when faced with actually killing it, he is unable to do the deed. Instead, the two end up forming a bond after he feeds the dragon, helps in fixing his injury and names him Toothless. Thereby, challenging a centuries long tradition which will risk everything Hiccup holds dear and how the village lives thereafter.

Here, director DeBlois proves that he knows this world better than anyone else, considering he wrote and directed the much acclaimed animated trilogy, and his decision to return reflects in how faithful the film feels. The narrative is an almost scene-by-scene replica of the animated fare.

But it recreates its world with striking realism and cinematic aesthetics, seamlessly blending human characters and fantastical beasts. A film that works both as a loving homage to the animated original and an exciting summer blockbuster full of spectacle and heart. Delivering the same thrills that came from watching it the first time.

The narrative doesn’t contain a single dull moment, with the stunning cinematography and the background score elevating every scene, adding depth and emotion without ever feeling overpowering. The CGI dragons are eye-popping and Toothless with its bright green eyes and toothy grin is adorable.

Toothless particularly looks exactly the same, as if he were plucked from the original animated film and placed into a live-action setting. And his scenes with Hiccup flying are simply astonishing. A delight for the senses.

The gorgeous score is even more powerful somehow, as Hiccup and Toothless skirt across the sea, narrowly dodging cliff sides and rocky outcrops, before soaring up into the sky, the music hitting its glorious crescendo as the camera flies higher, gives us sweeping vistas of craggy mountaintops against the setting sun. The Viking world also looks beautiful as well. The scenic locations of Iceland and Northern Ireland are awe-inspiring and stunning.

Performance wise, Mason Thames is great at capturing the original character’s mannerisms and voice perfectly. This version of Hiccup is pluckier, less cynical, and it works, especially thanks to a slightly more emotionally vulnerable Stoick. Gerard Butler absolutely inhabits his role, bringing the animated character to life in live-action in a big, blustery way, while also capturing the awkward sentimentality of the hulking warrior. The two play off one another perfectly.

Much has been made online of the diversifying of the cast, with a lot of focus placed on Astrid, played this time around by Nico Parker, who is not blond. But she not only does a terrific job but also ends up being a huge emotional anchor in the story and a big reason the second half is so good.

In supporting roles, Nick Frost is charming as always, while Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Gabriel Howell and Julian Dennison make for a hilarious band of misfits. On the whole, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is a spectacular live-action adaptation that is funny, heartfelt, and a sight to behold.