How to Train Your Dragon

In an industry increasingly saturated with uninspired live-action remakes, often content to ride the wave of animated films' success without offering anything truly new, How to Train Your Dragon stands out not only as a rare exception, but also as a resounding triumph. Directed, written, and co-produced by Dean DeBlois, the visionary who brought the original animated trilogy to life, this breathtaking adaptation is a testament to what can be achieved when nostalgia meets sincere creative ambition. Rather than delivering a pale imitation, Dean DeBlois has forged a film that is emotionally richer, technically dazzling, and narratively expansive. This is not just a reimagining, but a rebirth of a beloved saga, realized in a form that is vibrant, tactile, and deeply human.

At the heart of the film is Mason Thames's quietly powerful performance as Harold Horrib Haddock III, a boy caught in the crushing shadow of his heritage and the violent traditions of his Viking culture. What Mason Thames achieves here is nothing short of extraordinary; he doesn't just imitate the animated Harold, he embodies him with a lived vulnerability that gives every doubt, every small victory, every moment of quiet rebellion an authentic emotional weight. Inspired by the character since childhood, after seeing the trailer for How to Train Your Dragon 2 at the age of seven, Mason Thames brings a depth of understanding to the role that transcends mere performance. His Harold is not a caricature of awkwardness or offbeat charm. Rather, he is a young man silently suffocating under the expectations of his father, a war chief who demands strength, violence, and unwavering loyalty to tradition. And yet, when Harold discovers and eventually befriends Toothless, a wounded Night Fury dragon, the character shifts from passivity to determination. By choosing compassion over conformity, Harold's journey becomes a parable about empathy in a world addicted to war. This emotional charge is reinforced by the surprising presence of Gerard Butler, who not only reprises the voice but also the physical appearance of Stoick the Butch, the imposing leader of Berk and Harold's stern and grief-stricken father.

After voicing Stoick in the animated films, Gerard Butler embodies the character in the live-action version with formidable authority, delivering a performance marked by sadness, pride, and deep disappointment. He is a man broken by grief—the death of his wife, the growing distance between him and his son—and while his armor weighs 34 kilos, his emotional armor seems even heavier. The scenes between Gerard Butler and Mason Thames are among the most poignant in the film, capturing the painful inability of two men to communicate, to really see each other, until it is almost too late. The authenticity brought by Gerard Butler lies not only in his physicality, but also in his restraint, his silences, his looks, his grief, which no animation could ever fully convey.

Then there is Nico Parker in the role of Astrid Hofferson, whose performance is both strong and graceful. Known for her acclaimed work in The Last of Us, Nico Parker brings Astrid to life with a quiet intensity that simmers until it bursts into flame. Initially skeptical of Harold's unorthodox methods and emotional intelligence, Astrid evolves into a trusted ally and then a subtle love interest in a credible and well-deserved way. Dean DeBlois was reportedly struck by Nico Parker's immediate understanding of Astrid's emotional palette, her ability to be strong without arrogance, vulnerable without fragility. And indeed, on screen, she becomes Harold's moral and emotional mirror, reflecting not only his fears but also his strength. The chemistry between Nico Parker and Mason Thames is electric without ever feeling forced, giving the story an extra layer of human complexity that pulsates just beneath the grandiose spectacle.

The spectacle, however, is never far from the heart of the film. Visually, How to Train Your Dragon is simply a symphony of art. Bill Pope, the BAFTA-nominated director of photography known for The Matrix and The Jungle Book, brings an unmatched sense of scale and intimacy. The dragon flights, filmed in IMAX with advanced gimbals and animatronic rigs, are not only visually impressive, they are experiential. When Harold and Toothless take flight for the first time, it's as if the audience is strapped to the dragon's back. The air rushes by, the world tilts, and you feel it in your chest, in your gut, in your childhood dreams. And unlike many CGI-heavy films where visual splendor seems disconnected from emotion, here the technology serves the story. You're not watching a boy fly on a dragon, you're flying with him. You fall with him. You rise with him.

The attention to realism doesn't stop with the visual effects. Dominic Watkins, the film's production designer, transforms Belfast's Titanic Studios into a Viking world of dirt, fire, wood, and bone. Inspired by historical Viking architecture and the mythical landscapes of the Faroe Islands and Iceland, Berk is not a fantasy playground, but a world that breathes. Every structure is functional. Every tapestry is hand-dyed. Every sword engraved with runes and every soot-stained forge tells a story. The Book of Dragons, handcrafted from leather and brass, resembles a sacred relic, and even the dragons themselves were animated using puppets before receiving their final digital touches. This blend of physical and digital gives the film a rare authenticity that anchors its fantastical universe in the realm of the believable.

The cast is equally rich in characters. Nick Frost, as Gueulfor, the gruff blacksmith with a heart of gold, brings warmth and humor, balancing the film's heavier emotional moments. Varek Ingerman, played by Julian Dennison, is a charming eccentric obsessed with dragons and completely indifferent to Viking norms. Gabriel Howell, in the role of the arrogant Rustik Jorgenson, brings both comic bravado and unexpected depth to a character who could easily have descended into caricature. Ruth Codd, as the fierce and brilliant Phlegma, is a revelation, not only for her physical performance, but also for what her presence represents: an amputee warrior played by an amputee actress, bringing an authentic representation to a genre that too often marginalizes disability.

Musically, the return of John Powell is a real gift. His score builds on the iconic themes of the animated trilogy while venturing into bolder, more epic territory. When the dragons take flight, the music doesn't just accompany the images, it completes them. Few composers understand emotions in motion as well as John Powell, and here his music reminds us of the magic that drew audiences into this universe fifteen years ago. It is grand, poignant, heroic, and unforgettable.

And that is perhaps the greatest achievement of How to Train Your Dragon: its ability to remain unforgettable. The film premiered at CinemaCon, where we saw it for the first time and where it received a standing ovation, and will be released worldwide in a few days. But it already has all the makings of a classic, not because it plays it safe, but because it dares to fly higher. Dean DeBlois has not only paid tribute to the soul of his original creation, he has expanded it, grounded it, and ignited it with new life. He has created a film that bridges the gap between generations, between media, and between fantasy and reality. It reminds us that cinema, at its best, still has the power to enchant, to uplift, and to make us believe in dragons, dreams, and ourselves.

How to Train Your Dragon
Written and directed by Dean DeBlois
Based on How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
Produced by Marc Platt, Dean DeBlois, Adam Siegel
Starring Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, Peter Serafinowicz, Murray McArthur
Cinematography: Bill Pope
Edited by Wyatt Smith
Music by John Powell
Production companies: DreamWorks Animation, Marc Platt Productions
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release dates: April 2, 2025 (CinemaCon), June 11, 2025 (France), June 13, 2025 (United States)
Running time: 125 minutes

Seen on April 2, 2025 at Caesars Palace, The Colosseum Theater (Cinemacon World Premiere)
Seen again on June 8, 2025 at Disneyland Paris, Gaumont Disney Village, Auditorium 1, Seat L18

Mulder's Mark: