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The 2010 animated How To Train Your Dragon (HTTYD) is beloved for good reason: it’s got heart, humour, and a solid three-act story about a lonely, damaged boy bonding with an equally lonely, injured dragon. With its spirited script and swooping animation, it carved out a special place in the hearts of audiences. 

But when the live-action remake was announced, I wasn’t ecstatic about it – not because I didn’t think it would be good – just that I felt it’s… too soon. 

Some might argue that 15 years is technically long enough for a reboot, but the third instalment in the animated film series released only 6 years ago. Where do we draw the line between a nostalgic throwback and an obvious attempt at milking a franchise?

That’s showbiz, baby.

© DreamWorks.

There are some tweaks. There’s a dash more backstory for Astrid (played confidently by Nico Parker), and Berk is now framed as part of an international dragon task force led by Vikings – which is fun, if not exactly transformative. But these little updates feel more like easter eggs for superfans than meaningful reinventions.

That said, it’s perfectly cast, and everyone does a good job at matching their animated counterparts.

© DreamWorks.

Mason Thames makes a strong Hiccup, our awkward Viking hero who famously can’t bring himself to kill an injured dragon and ends up making history instead. His scenes with Toothless still pack an emotional punch, the fish scene being a highlight for me (you’ll know the one).

© DreamWorks.

Gerard Butler, returning to portray Stoick the Vast in live-action, brings gruff dad energy with real warmth. Nico Parker as Astrid is fierce, curious, and finally given more to do than just roll her eyes and kick things.

© DreamWorks.

Cinematographer Bill Pope brings the isle to glorious life, with stunning shots of Hiccup riding Toothless through Northern Ireland-as-Berk. But I couldn’t help feeling irked by how off some visuals felt, especially certain close-up shots that didn’t quite translate so well with the CG background. 

It’s hard not to compare HTTYD to the Lilo & Stitch remake, especially since their releases are only a few weeks apart.

© DreamWorks.

But the key difference is time. Stitch has had 20-something years to marinate in pop culture – he has earned his resurrection. HTTYD, meanwhile, feels like throwing a freshly baked loaf back into the oven for no good reason.

Given how heavily the original film adapted Cressida Cowell’s books, you’d think this version might’ve dared to fly a little further from the nest – take some creative risks, tell a new story within the same world. But instead, it clings tightly to the original flight path.

But, I must say again – it’s not a bad film. Like I mentioned earlier, the script works and it’s undoubtedly an entertaining watch, especially for existing HTTYD fans.

There’s no denying the care and craftsmanship poured into the project. It’s made with love, especially with the same crew stewarding the film.

© DreamWorks.

What I love most about HTTYD’s story is that it shows how imperative it is to have just one person who defies generations of familiarity and dares to do something different. Hiccup’s apparent weakness of not being able to fight dragons causes him and everyone else in Berk to doubt his identity as a Viking, especially with him being Stoick’s son. 

But HTTYD ultimately proves to us that identities are not necessarily defined and limited to passed-down patterns. Sometimes we fight things (or people) purely because we don’t try to understand them. But as Hiccup shows us, attempting to understand what scares us is a scary thing to do – yet it pays off in lasting and unimaginably rewarding ways.

© DreamWorks.

All that said, it’s hard to ignore the bigger picture: if we’re already remaking HTTYD, what’s next? A live-action Moana?

Oh, right. 

How To Train Your Dragon opens in cinemas nationwide on 12 June 2025. 

If you’re watching it in Sunway Pyramid, drop by the HTTYD roadshow now until 22 June at LG2, Orange Concourse for some fire-breathing fun!

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