Nothing makes me feel older than being old enough to appreciate How to Train Your Dragon when it came out in 2010 and now be around for its live-action remake starring Mason Thames and Nico Parker.
I suppose this is how life goes. Movies that came out during my childhood, such as How to Train Your Dragon and Moana, are getting live-action remakes as folks in my generation are beginning to have kids of their own.
The big difference is the involvement of Dean DeBlois, who returns as the screenwriter and director of the remake. He previously directed all three installments of the animated trilogy, and his involvement brings stability to the production. He knows the source material better than anyone, and it shows in the finished product.
If you go into the remake of How to Train Your Dragon expecting a revamped story, you will be disappointed. It largely operates with the same story as the original film.
The main appeal is bringing an already epic animated film to live-action form, and that’s exactly what DeBlois does. Visually, How to Train Your Dragon is stunning, with it being a rare blockbuster to use color to its advantage (with the exception of some dimly-lit scenes).
Thames also has his star-making performance, something Stoick the Vast actor Gerard Butler promised me months ago. He has been consistently good with performances in The Black Phone and Incoming, and now he has his breakout. I fully expect to see him in a lot of movies going forward.
And before the comparisons start, there is a difference between the live-action remakes of How to Train Your Dragon and The Lion King. The former is not a lazy shot-for-shot remake that takes the fun out of its source material. Toothless still retains his signature design from the animated movie, unlike The Lion King, which made the animals photo-realistic.
What’s How to Train Your Dragon about?
In the world of How to Train Your Dragon, you have two kinds of Vikings. There is the macho Stoick the Vast types, and then you have ones like Hiccup (Mason Thames).
Unlike his father, who is the chieftain of the Isle of Berk, Hiccup is not a brave warrior. It shows in the opening raid of Berk, as Hiccup aspires to be like his father and other Vikings, such as his crush Astrid Hofferson (Nico Parker).
Of course, the animated movie also depicted the dynamic between Hiccup and Stoick. The latter wants his son to show he will eventually be able to take his place as chieftain. Having real actors like Thames and Butler be able to act out these scenes works in the remake’s favor.
Both are more than capable actors, and the scenes where Stoick shows his disappointment in his son hit harder than in the animated counterpart.
That leads to Hiccup taking part in the dragon-fighting class. He competes against Astrid, Snotlout Jorgenson (Gabriel Howell), Fishlegs Ingerman (Julian Dennison), and twins Ruffnut (Bronwyn James) and Tuffnut Thorston (Harry Trevaldwyn).
Somehow, some way, Hiccup traps the mysterious Night Fury dragon during How to Train Your Dragon’s opening scene. When he finds the dragon, he is unable to kill him, leading to an eventual friendship as Hiccup tries to repair Toothless’ broken wing.
Same story, different movie
Those endeared to the animated How to Train Your Dragon will remember the bones of the story. A lot of the scenes in the live-action remake are shot similarly to their animated counterparts, but they look better here.
Take, for example, the scenes near the waterfall where Hiccup and Toothless interact. There is hardly any light in the animated scene where Toothless and Hiccup first fly.
In the remake, however, DeBlois adds a little bit of sunlight to the scene. It makes their interactions near the waterfall feel simultaneously mystical and real.
The lighting isn’t always perfect — How to Train Your Dragon is another Hollywood blockbuster that doesn’t get how to light nighttime scenes. The code will eventually be cracked on the nighttime lighting, but it’s otherwise a stunning remake, which is impressive, considering the amount of CGI in How to Train Your Dragon. While Toothless retains the same look as his animated iteration, the other dragons look more lifelike, making them terrifying when shown up close.
That was a bold move, something even the recent Lilo & Stitch remake couldn’t strike the balance of. They made Stitch look more lifelike than any of the other CGI characters, which stuck out like a sore thumb in the real world.
How to Train Your Dragon found the balance between making the CGI characters realistic and like the animated movie. I doubt this will field any Sonic the Hedgehog redesign backlash.
Mason Thames’ How to Train Your Dragon performance
It is clear how much How to Train Your Dragon means to Thames. He was only a toddler when the first movie came out, but I imagine he grew up with these films.
He lives up to the hype as Hiccup. His performance is similar to that of Tom Holland in any of his teenage roles (e.g. Spider-Man and Nathan Drake in Uncharted), but he is the right mix of dorky and endearing.
Many young actors try to channel Holland’s energy, but there’s a reason it’s often imitated but never replicated. Thames still makes Hiccup his own without Peter Parker-ing it.
I believe Mason Thames has it. If Hollywood executives are smart, they will be quick to grab him for their upcoming projects. Expect to see more of him in the near future.
It helps that he has a good supporting cast. Nico Parker plays Astrid to a tee. I won’t act like I remember every painstaking detail about the animated Astrid, but Parker correctly plays the character archetype.
Unlike Hiccup, Astrid is a badass warrior. Parker has a swagger that cannot be manufactured, and her stern demeanor compliments Thames’ awkward gawkiness well.
Then, there’s Gerard Butler, who returns as Stoick after voicing him in the animated series. The character may look slightly different than in animated form, but Butler retains the same passion for the role.
In live-action form, Butler is able to convey even more emotion than in the animated movies. His scenes with Thames are some of How to Train Your Dragon’s most impactful moments.
Should you watch How to Train Your Dragon?
Live-action remakes have stagnated — I’d love to say they are at an all-time low, but that’s simply not the case (see 2022’s Pinocchio) — but How to Train Your Dragon is a step in the right direction.
It takes what was great about the original and makes it better. How to Train Your Dragon is an epic live-action remake, and it’s the definitive version of this story.
I know many are over having their favorite movies redone. How to Train Your Dragon plays it pretty safe, but the visuals and performance justify its existence in my book.
Mason Thames is a name to be on the lookout for, as is Nico Parker. Maybe more of these remakes need to bring back the original director (when applicable), as Dean DeBlois knows that he’s doing.
Grade: B+
How to Train Your Dragon will be released on June 13.
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