How to Train Your dragon
How To Train Your Dragon
Stars: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Gabriel Howell, Ruth Codd and Peter Serafinowicz
Director/Scriptwriter: Dean DeBlois based on “How to Train Your Dragon” by Cressida Cowell
Composer: John Powell
Cinematography: Bill Pope
DreamWorks/Universal Pictures
Rating: PG
Running Length: 125 Minutes
The first “How To Train Your Dragon” animated film appear in 2010 and audiences around the globe loved it. Cressida Cowell’s novel about affection for dragons was a sensation and as a film, gave audiences a chance to fly with their characters. The sound track was with every motion on the screen and was a sensation by itself.
Now, after more films of dragons, comes the story again, but this time with live actors as the characters, interacting with live-action. Another sensation, especially when the characters and dragons are air-borne. Hang on to the arm rests of the theater seats. As for the characters from the book, Mason Thames takes on the role of Hiccup, the main character, while Nico Parker is Astrid, a girl warrior, with Gerard Butler as Hiccup’s father and Nick Frost as the blacksmith, who is a friend of Hiccup’s family. Away we go.
First of all, if you have never seen this type of flying dragon movie before, “enchantment” could be the descriptive word used. If you were a fan from the 2010 beginning, sit back and relax and enjoy the show. We begin with a peaceful Viking village that is by the sea coast and they think dragons are their enemy. It is only when, during a dragon raid, the fearful-but-never-seen Night Fury is to be wary of. Hiccup (Mason Thames) works as a blacksmith apprentice and devises a weapon to take down the feared dragon. This is what happens during a raid, and secretly, Hiccup tracks down the wounded creature, only to eventually make friends with it and find a way it can fly again. During this time, boys in the village of Hiccup’s age (and girls, too) are training for a position as a warrior to fight dragons. Astrid (Nico Parker) is as fierce as they come and wants to be a woman warrior. She thinks something is odd about Hiccup disappearing all the time and tracks him down to the wounded dragon’s lair. From there on, there are new friendships, the trials of fighting a dragon (hilarious here), the frustration of a father (Gerard Butler) who thinks his son has no courage, and the flying sequences that take your breath away. Climactic scenes, also, to be sure.
What stands out are the flying sequences and it takes your breath away. Bill Pope's cinematography is a wonder, plus adding the soundtrack by John Powell and you might as well see the film twice. One for action and the other to sit back, close your eyes, and listen to the music.
This critic was fascinated by the first film and still fascinated by this live action version. The actors do their parts well and blend in as either anxious adults or growing-up-too-fast teenagers. Facial expressions are a delight here, especially Gabriel Howell as Snotiout and Brownwyn James as Ruffinut, the twin sister of Tuffnut (HarryTrevaldwyn) .
The idea of loving dragons who breathe fire, instead of hating them, is there from the beginning of man. Men and women disliked each other for their looks, animals disliked humans for their always-hunting-them life style and so the world progresses. As gently explained here, when you get to know them and you can help them as much as they can help you, the world becomes peaceful again. Ah, that this could be so. Where is a dragon when you need one.
Four Tocks
Copyright 2025 Marie Asner
