Based on the book series of the same name by author Cressida Cowell, the first How To Train Your Dragon animated movie came out in theaters in 2010. Fifteen years later, we're getting this live-action remake that follows the same beats: it's a fantasy tale about Viking tribes coming together to battle dragons ravaging their homes and stealing their livestock. They've done it so long that it's become a part of their culture; to earn one's place in the tribe, every young person is expected to take part in the tradition.
Hiccup is the son of a Thane who is looked upon as weak, coddled, and less than. He's hard-headed like his father. This often puts him in precarious situations like the one where he nearly gets killed during a dragon attack. He is also an inventor. He uses one of his latest creations during that attack, taking down an elusive black dragon, a Night Fury.
Hiccup discovers where this Night Fury crash lands, sees that it's been maimed, and eventually befriends it. He creates a prosthetic for the dragon, now named Toothless, and learns that dragons aren't the enemy his people believe.
Hiccup then has to balance his secretive relationship with Toothless and the warrior training his father assigns him. He really wants to impress the beautiful Astrid, who is a much better fighter than he. As if often true in these tales, life gets complicated for Hiccup. Eventually the two species come together against a greater threat to humans and dragons alike.
How To Train Your Dragon review
Who loves dragons? Me, that’s who. I even named my black Ford Fusion Night Fury when I bought it. This means that, when I walked into the theater for How to Train Your Dragon (2025), I had very high expectations. This movie did not disappoint. I was enthralled right in the beginning.
Gerard Butler reprises his role as Hiccup's father from the 2010 animated movie. At the end of the credits, there is a dedication to his mother who passed away during filming. He mentioned it on The View when there to promote the film.
Mason Thames plays Hiccup. You might recognized him from The Black Phone. Nico Parker plays Astrid. She was in a couple of episodes of The Last of Us. Another notable actor is Nick Frost. I remember him from Shaun of the Dead.
Even though it’s been nearly 15 years since the first animated movie, the humor is still fun and the story enchanting. The action is dizzying at times, but that's expected when flying alongside a dragon, don’t you think? A couple of the dragons were visually similar to the one in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amonst Thieves, even though Dreamworks did not work on both movies.
Everything was big. Big scenery shots; big musical scores; big action sequences. The queen dragon was honking huge! The two hours whizzed by while I was steeped in this fantasy Viking world. I was sorry to see it end.
Whether you’re a big kid or a little one, this movie is fun and a wonderful getaway from real life.
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