How to Train Your Dragon (2025) Review
- Matt Hill
- Jun 12, 2025
- 2 min read
Runtime: 2h 5m Genre: Fantasy/Adventure Release Date: 9th June 2025
Plot: Dragon slaying is the bread and butter of a Viking's life in Berk. However, the same can't be said for outcast Hiccup (Mason Thames). Until he captures an incredibly rare dragon that may change everything the Vikings know about their way of life.
Thoughts
How to Train Your Dragon and its sequels are easily some of the most beloved animated movies under the DreamWorks banner. For many, the first is a stellar example of a great story backed by captivating performances and excellent animation. So, how does the movie fare going through the live-action treatment?
The answer? Exceptionally well. How to Train Your Dragon is brought to life by the same director and composer as the original animation, bringing with them the same love that they had for the project. Gerald Butler reprises his role as clan chief Stoick (I mean, when is seeing Gerald Butler punching a dragon in the face not going to be cinema gold?), Newcomers Mason Thames as Hiccup and Nico Parker as Astrid do a great job embodying the characters we've grown to love while making them feel all their own.
The live-action transition is a roaring success, seeing the dragons in their 'real' scales looks great, even if they lack some of their animated charm. The action sequences feel great too, with the dragon clashes feeling tense and thrilling, while the climactic fight comes together better than you'd imagined.
One of the main gripes with the film is that it's perhaps too faithful to the original. There's a distinct lack of change or new flair to set it apart from what has come before. For large parts, it feels like you're watching the same animated movie, this time with a fresh coat of paint. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. Given the story, pacing, and script were great in the original. But when so many scenes play out shot-for-shot, it's hard not to compare it to the beloved animated movie, especially when you can picture those scenes running side by side in your head.
The moments and relationship between Hiccup and Toothless remain at the film's core and are again great to see unfold. Toothless is still the lovable dragon many of us have grown to love, but there's a certain charm to his animated outings that doesn't seem to translate as well as some of the other things in the movie. There was an opportunity to build on their relationship with this new version, but the film feels too focused on retelling rather than trying anything new.
In a Nutshell
How to Train Your Dragon is just as good as you remember it. The story remains excellent, and the live-action repaint makes the dragon duelling action all the more exciting. It's just a shame the movie sticks so close to the original, never daring to spread its wings.
4/5
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