Directed by Dean DeBlois, How to Train Your Dragon tells the tale of the original for a new audience through live-action. Did we need a remake? No. However, I’m happy to say that the reboot doesn’t disappoint in a way that would make you sprint back to the original.
We return to the isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have violently coexisted for generations. The leader of the Vikings, Stoick (Gerard Butler), is a big, strong figure who feasts on the destruction of the dragons that threaten their homes. On the other hand, his son Hiccup (Mason Thames) is more of an inventor and doesn’t subscribe to violence. Always thinking outside the box, he suggests a different approach might reap a different reward, but gets ignored. But after an encounter with a legendary Night Fury (Toothless), a dragon nobody has ever seen, Hiccup gets more attention than he can handle, and his relationship with Toothless becomes an important part in changing the tides for the future.
There are subtle differences between the original HTTYD and the live-action remake, but nothing big enough to cry about. Gobber (Nick Frost) has a wooden leg that differs from the original, which was the only thing that stood out immediately. One good thing with this latest film is that it provides an opportunity to expand the terrain. Berk gets a facelift and boasts a stunning landscape full of mountains and greenery as far as the eye can see. The flight scenes with Toothless and Hiccup are set before a gorgeous tapestry of nature’s best.
The only major difference with the characters is with Astrid (Nico Parker). In the animated film, she was an independent, laser-focused Viking who was determined to be the best. Any liking of Hiccup happened much later in the film. Here, instead of being the best warrior, focusing on slaying dragons, they shaped her into a character who was more jealous of Hiccup than anything else. In the original, she becomes skeptical of his consistent winning in training, so she starts to follow him. She follows him in this film as well, but her reasoning is rooted in something other than being the best. Aside from that, she was fine as Astrid, and the hate from “fans” online is misplaced.
How to Train Your Dragon gets a 9 out of 10. It’s worth a look in IMAX if it’s available near you, and kids will love it. We all know this new generation needs constant stimulation, and the great thing about the remake is that there’s not a lot of chatty dialogue. The only improvement could’ve been more dragons, but it’s still a fun film as is.
How to Train Your Dragon premieres on Friday, June 13.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation
Genre: Teen Fantasy
Rating: PG
Runtime: 2 hrs 5 mins
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: June 13
the original needs to be back we all knowe the hidden world was the last ne but we need to keep on the originals and have it back and wait a Little bit more so that we can have more improvements for thw live actions