I Found the Remake of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Endearing and wonderfully Thematic

I often wonder–though the answer is obvious–why live-action remakes of animated movies are made. From an artistic perspective, you could argue that the merit is based on how true to the original they can make the film under an entirely different medium; how can real people, on-screen, represent our favourite characters?

There’s a case with Disney, for instance, where profits and audience align, that it is an easier sell given that the company has the freedom to rehash the same ground and viewers gobble it up enthusiastically, regardless, though an outside case is the MCU, a department on choppy grounds and fatigue is well and truly set in.

But who is to say that DreamWorks cannot give it a try? After all, 2010’s How to Train Your Dragon is beloved, and the gap for adapting or remaking films is shortening, or so it seems with our lessening attention span and lack of originality.

I’m lucky, in that I was not privy to the original film, for some reason, which sounds insane now that I think about it–I missed the classic–a void in my student years. I had the luxury of watching the live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon with fresh(er) eyes, with my wife beside me, experienced in the lore to tell me if it’s a worthwhile remake.

The premise of the live-action remake is identical, expectedly–it follows a Viking clan on the isle of Berk that dragons routinely terrorise. A Viking boy named Hiccup defies traditions by befriending a dragon named Toothless. However, an ancient threat endangers both the Vikings and the dragons, threatening peace.

The main challenge for director Dean DeBlois was utilizing the cast, with the events unfolding in a manner that mirrored the animation. It would not have been so hard to rein in Gerard Butler (Greenland, Angel Has Fallen, The Vanishing) who plays Stoick the Vast, the chieftain of Berk and Hiccup’s father, considering he has dedicated a portion of his career to voicing the character in the animated versions. His live-action version of Stoick works remarkably well, as he conveys a sense of torn fatherhood in a nuanced way, with hints of softness emerging.

But let’s talk about Mason Thames (Incoming), who plays Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, and Nico Parker (Suncoast, Dumbo), who plays Astrid Hofferson (the avid dragon-fighting trainer and subsequent love interest). These two leads are far more critical to the make-up of the film than any other cast member for the young audiences, more so than a grizzly Gerard Butler. Mason and Nico needed to display a level of chemistry and effort that encourages clips on social media, almost creating a fandom around their romance—something that happens regularly in film and TV nowadays (see early days of Tom Holland and Zendaya, Spider-Man–now I feel old).

Mason works marvellously as Hiccup–a gentle, yet determined adventurer of the world, seeking truth in a community where it is defined, while Nico’s Astrid (also, a wonderful performance), is the opposing, tense force who stands by the cultural expectations bestowed upon them—those familiar, will ultimately understand where this leads, creating a dichotomy of ideologies that are advanced for a family film.

Amongst the CGI, which we expect to be up to standard given the $150 million budget, the film’s leads work well together–there’s a known story to tell, and with their supporting cast, which are resoundingly serious with the script as they are humorous, provide two hours of joy and enthusiasm–as a first experience of How to Train Your Dragon, it’s a thumbs up from me.

However, there is a macro perspective on this, especially with Disney, which is now generating live-action versions of everything, including Moana, which arguably does not need one (yet). There’s a question of whether this remake of How to Train Your Dragon will enter the ranks of the best. I mean, it’s not amongst many friends who make a “top list” as such, given the inconsistency–the emoteless The Lion King, the boring Beauty and the Beast, and the forgettable Cinderella, but then again, I highly rated Will Smith’s Aladdin, the unrecognizable Emma Stone in Cruella, and who can forget, the endearing Christopher Robin.

Photo: DreamWorks

After conferring with my wife, to assume I was not entirely insane (given this was my first watch of How to Train Your Dragon), it’s safe to say this easily hits as a top 10 remake of an animated film by DreamWorks. They must have an abundance of confidence in it, and the fans, considering the sequel will be released in 2027.

As a personal anecdote, as a first-time viewer, my favourite part of the film was its portrayal of pride, especially from the fathers in the movie. “Being proud” can have a double-edged meaning–“being too proud” can lead to undesirable outcomes, but simply “being proud” can have a positive impact on your children. The film is more about this than the dragons in some ways. For example, Stoick enjoys being proud of his son, Hiccup, but goes through a cycle of different ways of being proud through the three acts, some damaging, some contributing to his son’s development, and some where there’s a flagrant opportunity to live vicariously through one’s offspring.

While many will watch the film as an action-adventure that appeals to the senses, I found the remake of How to Train Your Dragon endearing and wonderfully thematic, offering more axioms for discussion points than I expected.

What I’m trying to say, earnestly, is this was a surprisingly enjoyable film that I’d watch again, and I’m glad I have now entered this universe.

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