Dragons

I think one of the problems with this current live action era is how took the original material and go: "Yep we are not doing that" and proceed to torn the story apart, but this one tastes of love for the first movie and and don't take away the magic away.

I understand that some of the cast aren't carbon copies of their animated but overall the actors are fairly good and we get to see a little more of character building for some of the kids, like Snoutloud and Astrid.

Hiccup is great and awkward like he is supposed to be, Stoic is stubborn and strong-headed, is his way or the highway and Gerald Butler delivers. I mean come on he is Stoic!

Honestly... I didn't expect to feel the same way I did back in 2010, but this film brought it all back.

The remake went far beyond my expectations. The casting was spot on-even though I had doubts at first, the performances felt genuine and convincing. Especially Hiccup and Astrid: I found myself reconnecting with them like it was the first time.

Visually, it's stunning. The world of Vikings and dragons feels totally believable. The direction respects the spirit of the original, while adding a more grounded and mature tone.

This isn't just a copy-it's a heartfelt experience that stands on its own.

Rarely does a remake pay homage to original, even rarer does a remake capture its heart and soul that made the characters and storyline so captivating.

How To Train Your Dragon (2025) is everything you hope for in a live action adaptation and usually don't recieve. The characters (Especcially Hiccup and Stoick) translate exceptionally well to live action and the special effects leave nothing to be desired. In many ways, this remake plays even better on the big screen than the animation ever did due to the sheer size of the set pieces and the impressively realistic dragon CGI.

The make-or-break of this film, however, was the score. Retaining John Powell's powerful, moving and emotionally resonant composition elevates this movie to a different level.

Other than some of the casting choices and acting perfomances not comparing to the original, this remake's only main flaw is that it's a remake. It's essentially a way of watching exactly the same movie but in live action, which while being its biggest flaw, also manages to be its biggest asset - Its the only remake in recent memory that one can truly claim has recaptured the magic of its source. Go see it, it may well be one of the best films you'll watch this year.

The live-action version of "How to Train Your Dragon" is simply excellent. This is how you adapt an animated classic: with respect and care. The movie stays very faithful to the original, almost identical in many scenes and emotions, yet manages to feel fresh and engaging.

The cast fits naturally with the story-they were well chosen and deliver strong performances without overdoing it. The interactions, the relationships, and the character dynamics all feel in line with the spirit of the original movie.

What impressed me most was the emotion. I genuinely felt the same feelings I had when I first watched the animated film years ago. That sense of wonder, friendship, and growth is perfectly preserved here. It's rare for a live-action remake to capture the soul of its source material, but this movie nails it.

Disney should honestly take notes from Universal Pictures and DreamWorks. This is proof that respecting the source is the real key to success in remakes. A great work, and easily one of the best live-action adaptations I've seen.

The trend of transitioning animated movies to live-action is on the rise these years, with Lilo & Stitch and other movies. This time, what would happen if the director who directed the same franchise in animation returned to direct the live-action version?

Dean DeBois, he's the man. The man who previously helmed the three How to Train Your Dragon movies is back to direct the live-action version of this movie. The studio has made the right decision to hand over this movie to him. Because the vision and mission he conveyed in the previous movie are suitable to be brought to the live-action format. This movie does not replicate the previous movie but adds how magical the expressions of the characters are, especially Mason Thames, who plays Hiccup. That's really seeing the animated version. He was perfect as Hiccup. While the other actors also showed their abilities in this movie.

Gerard Butler, who previously played the animated version of Stoick, continues to return for this movie? This is a cinema moment right there. He really fits back in for this movie. There are no other words.