Live-action remakes of beloved animated movies can be a challenge. For every Cinderella and The Lion King, there’s a Snow White or The Little Mermaid. Thankfully, Canadian director Dean DeBlois’ live-action remake of his own animated film gracefully soars above its contemporaries, even if it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as the original.
The heartwarming adventure about a young man and his dragon is tailor-made for a family-oriented live-action fantasy flick. Outcast Hiccup (Mason Thomas) is the oft-overlooked son of the village of Berk’s leader, Chief Stoick (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role) is a disappointment to his dad and the town. Defying centuries of dragon-slaying tradition, Hiccup befriends Toothless, a cat-like Night Fury dragon feared by Berk’s citizens. Their unlikely bond challenges the very foundation of Berk and generations of dragon slayers who have seen dragons as their enemy. When an ancient threat emerges, Hiccup and Toothless become the key to saving the way of both humans and dragons.
The new How to Train Your Dragon is built upon a firm foundation: the source material in Cressida Cowell’s book and the original animated film. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Serving as a blueprint for the live-action, DeBlois had iconic scenes to recreate as shot-for-shot as live-action would allow, but that is not to say the entire film is simply a copy of its predescessor. DeBlois has added and expanded the story and its characters, particularly Butler’s Chief Stoick, and provided a more in-depth father-son relationship. We learn more about Berk and the multicultural generations of dragon hunters who have made this their home-base. While still family-friendly, teens may connect more with the adolescent vibes and themes of challenging authority that come with being on the cusp of adulthood. It works here to make its human characters more, well, three-dimensional.
But what of the dragons? It is certainly a challenge to make fantastical beasts fit into a human world, and DeBlois does it exceptionally well. The dragons, while perhaps not as vibrant as their cartoon counterparts, as just as special. It is clear that the real-life influences on these creatures, be it exotic bird, salamander, walrus, or cat is evident, making it all the more plausible that dragons and humans could naturally co-exist in this world.
Like the animated version, Toothless is the real star. Muscular and scaly while retaining his panther-like charm, he is every bit as endearing as his cartoon self. His relationship with Hiccup is charming. Thomas shines as Hiccup, a perfect human personification of Jay Baruchel’s animated version. Watching the duo soar into the clouds and through the air is as exhilarating as anything one might see in Top Gun: Maverick – especially on the giant IMAX screen where these sequences add an extra layer of adrenaline.
The issues with the live-action version are minimal. There are just some things that can’t be translated from an animated form. Cinematography legend Roger Deakins consulted on the original film, and his influence feels evident there. The biggest hiccup (pun intended) is that Toothless’ epic flight with Hiccup and cool girl Astrid (Nico Parker) lacks the gorgeous hues and dynamic movement of their animated flight. It’s a far more muted affair than the original scene. The opening night battle between Berk and dragon should be a fiery action-packed sequence, but at times feel too dark and muddy to discern the biggest action set pieces, even in IMAX. However, neither of these gripes mar the enjoyment of the overall film.
A truly breathtaking adventure full of excitement and tenderness, How to Train Your Dragon is a delight for audiences, young and old.
How To Train Your Dragon arrives in theatres on June 13.
