How to Train Your Dragon Live-Action Review: A Heartfelt Epic Adventure

Based on one of the animated classics, How to Train Your Dragon has finally arrived on the big screens. Fortunately, it featured everything fans had hoped for. The film follows the young Viking, Hiccup, who has never shown interest in fighting dragons, and that’s why no member of his tribe really likes him. However, his failure as a slayer doesn’t mean he doesn’t harbor any skill. Hiccup is a genius who is good at inventing things. After feeling guilty for damaging Toothless’ tail, which eventually prevents him from flying, the boy creates an artificial tail using his knowledge and gives the dragon the ability to fly to heights once again.

The film is a faithful adaptation of the beloved animated series, and here, I review How to Train Your Dragon Live Action to let you know why you should head out to your nearby theater to watch it.

Mason Thames Shines as a Perfect Hiccup

Jay Baruchel, the Canadian actor, voiced Hiccup in the original films, and Mason Thames took the responsibility to give the character a live-action makeover. And it turned out to be absolutely brilliant casting. I don’t think, or rather, I don’t believe any other actor could have portrayed the role with the sincerity Thames has put into it. Three years ago, the boy impressed everyone with his portrayal of Finney in the horror film The Black Phone. Now, he has given us a chance to applaud him by making Hiccup an even more loved character.

Like his breakout performance in The Black Phone, he, as Hiccup, has shown immense growth and potential as an actor. Be it the dialogue or the facial expressions, the young actor made the role a success.

Hiccup and Toothless’ Unbreakable Bond Becomes the Heart of the Live-Action

Some people would argue that the chemistry between Hiccup and Toothless in the animated series still remains unmatchable. To some extent, that is right, but let’s not degrade the efforts the live-action team put into making the project match the original’s essence. The emotional impact that the animated film had on fans can never be surpassed by the live-action, and why’s that? Simply because most fans of the franchise are watching the exact same story, but in a different format. However, fans who watched only the live-action version would likely feel the same way as fans did when they saw the animated film.

Hiccup became the reason for Toothless’s injury, but when the Night Fury didn’t do any harm to him, even after finding the boy alone in the woods, he started feeling guilty. So, Hiccup starts feeding the dragon, whom he starts calling Toothless. That way, he befriends him and invents an artificial tail and many other gears that would help the boy train the dragon. He also starts learning the tactics to control the other dragons.

Hiccup and Toothless soon become best friends, and that makes them the heart and soul of the story. When Toothless shows up in the ring to protect Hiccup from getting killed by an aggressive dragon, the people of Berk captures him. At that time, the helplessness in Hiccup’s eyes felt personal to every fan. Later, when Hiccup doesn’t think twice about freeing his bud from captivity, it makes us feel even more for the duo.

The Live-Action Blessed Astrid With a More Compelling Character Arc

Astrid is our main protagonist’s love interest, yet the animated films didn’t take good care of her. However, it seems Dean DeBlois observed it and decided to make her one of the most prominent parts of the live-action. Unlike the original film, the live-action gives you a clearer view of the girl’s ambitions and desires. She wanted to be the next chief of berk, and because of that, she disliked Hiccup in the starting because he was the son of Stoick, who was the current chief.

The animated story focused too much on Hiccup and Toothless and avoided Astrid. However, in the live-action, we get to see her taking the lead in every way possible. For instance, the final fight of the movie puts her in the forefront instead of keeping her in the shadows.

The Live-Action Feels Great If You Don’t Compare It With The Animated Film

I know, I know, fans can’t help but compare the remake with the original film, but trust me, you’ll enjoy the movie if you don’t compare both. For instance, I remember watching the adorable Toothless in the animated film for the first time, and it was an experience like no other. So, I knew what to expect when I thought of watching the live-action. I was expecting the live-action to have the same kind of impact, and while the bonding sequence of both characters was as heartfelt and emotional as it was in the animated film, I would have loved it more if I were experiencing it for the first time. 

At the same time, I knew exactly what would happen in the final moments of the film. So, despite the movie delivering a powerful and emotionally heavy concluding scene, it had a little less impact on me than the original film. That’s not because the live-action lacked something, but because I already knew what was coming next. But when you get immersed in the moment and stop remembering the original movie, you truly get to experience the magic of the story. 

Obviously, it’s tough to capture the charm of the animated world in a live-action format. If the live-action tries too hard to make an exact copy, it has to rely on too much CGI. Fortunately, though, HTTYD keeps the right balance of both. The locations in the movie feel real, and that’s how they should feel. At the same time, the creators utilized the CGI where it should have been used – to create dragons. However, a small complaint that I have with the movie is that the dragons could have been more realistic. Of course, I know why they didn’t go with a too-realistic dragon – they wouldn’t have looked as cute and adorable as they do now. Still, I would have gone for the perfect score if the dragons felt a little less cartoonish at times. 

Should You Watch How to Train Your Dragon Live-Action?

Yes, of course, you should watch the movie in the theatre. Despite being a faithful adaptation, the film makes minor changes that go unnoticed. The story features the essence of the original, and Toothless steals the show by being adorable. There are many titles out there featuring dragons, but HTTYD live-action blesses the industry with the cutest of all, which would make you go speechless. Besides that, Hiccup and Toothless have always been a match made in heaven, and the live-action proves that.