The live-action How to Train Your Dragon arrives with both the strengths and challenges that come from being a very faithful remake. Visually impressive and retelling the story’s emotional beats, it brings the beloved tale to life again — though without fully recapturing the impact or freshness of the original.
Much of the dialogue, shot composition, score, and emotional beats are carried over almost exactly. A few extended scenes and minor changes aside, it plays very closely to the original’s blueprint. And while the story itself remains strong, it leaves you wondering: if the original still delivers so well, why not just revisit that instead? That said, seeing this world brought to life in live-action does bring some of its own appeal, particularly for those discovering it for the first time.
Visually, the film shines. The real-world locations — with much of it shot in Northern Ireland — blend beautifully with CG enhancements to create an impressive, lived-in Berk. The VFX work on the dragons is particularly strong, with Toothless once again stealing scenes as the film’s most endearing and wonderfully realised creation. The flying sequences are as spectacular as ever, and seeing it all on the big screen (I was lucky enough to see it in IMAX) makes for a striking experience.
Mason Thames (The Black Phone) does a fine enough job as Hiccup, but his version of the character lacks the quirky awkwardness that made the original so charming. Jay Baruchel’s vocal performance in the animated trilogy gave Hiccup such a distinctive personality — one that helped sell both his underdog status and his evolving confidence. Thames doesn’t quite replicate that same spark, resulting in a lead performance that, while decent, feels flatter by comparison. The supporting cast is serviceable, though they similarly don’t quite capture the same goofy, memorable charm of their animated counterparts.
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Gerard Butler, however, transitions his character well. Reprising his role as Stoick, Butler naturally brings across the strength and stern warmth of the father trying to connect with his unconventional son. His live-action performance may be the most seamless carryover from the original. I’ll also give a bit of a shout-out to Nick Frost, who I think did a pretty good job bringing the character of Gobber to life.
Emotionally, this live-action take still largely delivers — as expected, considering how effective the original story already was. The father-son dynamic, the bond with Toothless, and the story’s core message of empathy still resonate, even if familiarity makes some of the beats feel slightly less impactful this time around.
In terms of whether this remake was truly necessary, that’s where my mixed feelings really settle. Cynically, it’s hard not to see the commercial motivation behind bringing this story back in live-action form. Personally, I would’ve preferred to see more creative risks taken to justify revisiting the material, although I acknowledge that some of the fanbase may have pushed back had significant changes been made. Ultimately, I land somewhere in the middle: this is a well-made film, telling a great story, with fantastic visuals — but it simply isn’t as special or fresh as the original. If you loved the first, you’ll likely enjoy this; but you’ll also see exactly where it falls short.
