How to Train Your Dragon is Rated PG By Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for sequences of intense action, and peril.How to Train Your Dragon remake felt like walking into an old home that’s been renovated with sleek furniture and polished floors—you recognize it, love parts of it, but something in the air feels… different. Not wrong, just not quite the same.
Dean DeBlois returns to helm this live-action reimagining of his own 2010 animated masterpiece, and honestly, it’s one of the most visually stunning and faithful adaptations I’ve seen in years. But does faithfulness equal greatness? Not always. This film soars in moments—visually, emotionally, thematically—but it also plays it so safe that it never quite breathes new fire into the saga. It’s a loving tribute, yes, but also a curious retread.
Still, for what it is? It’s pretty magical. Especially if you’re seeing it through the eyes of someone discovering this story for the first time.
The Story & What It Tries to Say
The story follows Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Mason Thames), an awkward, brainy teenager in a Viking society where strength is everything and dragons are the enemy. Berk, their island home, is perpetually under attack by these winged beasts, and Stoick the Vast (played with impressive gravitas by Gerard Butler), Hiccup’s father and the tribe’s chief, expects his son to grow into a fierce warrior. But Hiccup is more interested in building contraptions than wielding axes—and that makes him an outsider.
Everything changes when Hiccup secretly shoots down the elusive Night Fury—a shadowy, lightning-fast dragon no one’s ever seen up close. When he finds it, wounded and trapped in the forest, something remarkable happens: he can’t bring himself to kill it.
And from there, the heart of the movie begins to beat.
What unfolds is a quiet, beautiful relationship between boy and beast. He names the dragon Toothless (who’s just as charming in CG flesh as he was in pixels) and begins to secretly bond with it. He learns that dragons aren’t the mindless killers Berk believes them to be—they’re intelligent, emotional, and scared, just like the humans who hunt them.As Hiccup begins to understand dragons, his entire worldview shifts. He brings those lessons into his tribe’s dragon-fighting school, outwitting dragons with empathy instead of brute force. Of course, secrets don’t stay buried, and the film builds toward a confrontation between generations—between war and peace, fear and understanding.
At its core, How to Train Your Dragon is still about empathy—how truly seeing another being changes everything. It’s about courage, not in the sword-swinging sense, but in daring to believe there’s a better way. The live-action version leans a little harder into the coming-of-age beats, giving Hiccup’s transformation a slightly darker, more grounded tone. You feel the stakes a bit more. You feel the risk. But you also lose a bit of the original’s buoyancy.
Still, the message? It lands. It always did. And it still matters.
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Performances & Characters
Mason Thames does a commendable job stepping into Hiccup’s boots. He’s got the awkward charm and the vulnerability nailed down, though he lacks a bit of the irreverent spark Jay Baruchel brought to the voice role. His physicality is stronger—this Hiccup stumbles and bleeds more—but emotionally, he doesn’t always hit the deeper notes. Still, you root for him.
Nico Parker as Astrid, though, is a standout. She brings a wonderful sense of tension to the role: she’s tough and poised, but you can see the uncertainty behind her eyes. Her chemistry with Thames is gentle and believable, never forced.
And then there’s Gerard Butler, reprising his role in live-action as Stoick. What a presence. He feels like a character carved out of a mountain—solid, proud, occasionally immovable. But in his quieter moments—those brief flashes of love for his son—you see the man beneath the armor. He doesn’t get quite enough screen time to fully evolve, but he anchors the film in something that feels real.
Nick Frost as Gobber adds just enough comic relief without turning into a cartoon. Julian Dennison and Gabriel Howell fill out the dragon-training gang well enough, though they don’t get much room to shine. The side characters are, unfortunately, more functional than memorable here.
Toothless, though. Toothless remains one of cinema’s great non-verbal characters. A triumph of animation and performance capture. The wide eyes, the catlike curiosity, the comic timing—it’s all there, now rendered with astonishing realism. He steals every scene he’s in.
Direction, Visuals & Pacing
DeBlois brings a tender familiarity to the direction—he knows these moments inside and out. But that’s both a strength and a limitation. You can feel how reverent he is toward the original film, almost to a fault. There are scenes recreated nearly shot for shot, and while they’re beautiful, they also feel… expected.
But visually? Wow. The cinematography by Bill Pope (The Matrix, Baby Driver) is jaw-dropping. Berk has never looked this tactile—the mist rolling over jagged cliffs, the firelight flickering against damp stone walls, the skies blazing with aurora as dragons streak overhead. It’s immersive in the best way.
The flight sequences are the true standout here. When Hiccup first rides Toothless, you feel it. The speed, the wind, the sheer exhilaration. There’s a tactile intensity that animation can’t quite replicate. These scenes are what IMAX was made for.
Where the film falters is in pacing. At just over two hours, it lingers a bit too long in the middle. Some added scenes feel like padding—meant to deepen the story but instead slowing its rhythm. There are stretches where the magic dips.
Still, the score by John Powell returns in all its sweeping glory, sometimes with new orchestrations, and it gives the movie a soul. When that theme kicks in during the final flight, it’s impossible not to feel something stir.
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As a family adventure film, it delivers. The dragon encounters are tense and thrilling without being overwhelming. The bond between Hiccup and Toothless is still among the best human-animal (or human-dragon) friendships ever put on screen.
But it’s also a more serious movie than its animated predecessor. There’s more weight to the battles, more grit in the way dragons are portrayed. The humor is still there, but toned down. You might miss the whimsy, especially if you grew up on the original. This version is trying to grow up with its audience—and sometimes, that means leaving some of the wonder behind.
Still, it never feels cynical. It’s sincere to its bones.
Violence & Intensity: This is a Viking world, after all, and it opens with dragon attacks on a village. But here’s the thing — nothing is graphic. There are flaming catapults, some roars, and a few moments of peril, but it’s all kept well within the PG lane. No blood. No lingering violence. Just fantasy-style conflict.
Hiccup does injure a dragon early on with a mechanical contraption, but the aftermath is more emotional than violent — it’s actually the turning point where empathy starts to blossom.
There are some scenes that may feel intense for very young or sensitive viewers — like when dragons are chained, or when characters shout in moments of fear or anger — but it never crosses the line into scary. Think “tense but teachable,” not traumatic.
If your child can handle The Lion King or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, they’ll be just fine here.
How to Train Your Dragon (2025) Parents Guide
Language: Good news — nothing offensive. No swear words, no cheeky adult jokes disguised for grown-up ears. The worst you’ll hear are a few exasperated “Oh my gods!” and “What the heck?!” kind of moments. Viking-era sass at most.
In a world where so many PG movies sneak in unnecessary snark, this one plays it straight — and that’s refreshing.
Romance & Relationships: There’s a little budding romance between Hiccup and Astrid, but it’s sweet and subtle. A couple of glances, one hand-hold, maybe a hug — it’s more about respect and admiration than anything physical.
No innuendo, no awkward jokes, and definitely no moments you’ll have to fast-forward or explain. Their connection is wholesome and rooted in friendship first.
Positive Messages & Role Models: This film is full of great values. Hiccup shows empathy, courage, and creativity in a world that values brute strength. Astrid is determined and fair. Even Toothless — a non-speaking dragon — teaches kids volumes about trust and loyalty.
The message here isn’t just “be kind to animals” (though yes, that’s in there). It’s “see people for who they are, not what you’ve been told about them.” And in a world that often shouts, that’s a lesson worth whispering into young ears.
Should You Take the Kids?: If you’re looking for a movie that’s thrilling but not scary, emotional but not overwhelming, and layered enough to speak to kids and adults alike — this is a great pick. RECOMMEND Best for 7+
Final Thoughts & Recommendation
How to Train Your Dragon (2025) is a stunning, tender, and slightly cautious retelling of a modern classic. It doesn’t rewrite the rules, and it doesn’t surprise much, but it captures the beating heart of the original with grace. The visuals are mesmerizing, the performances grounded, and the emotional beats—especially between Hiccup and Toothless—still hit like a warm gust of wind on a winter’s day.
It’s a film made with care. With love. And yes, with a little fear of straying too far from the blueprint.
If you’re a lifelong fan, it’s a beautiful revisit. If you’re new to Berk, it’s a solid place to start. Just don’t expect a wild new ride. This dragon stays mostly on familiar skies.
Director: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison
Genre: Action, Adventure, Family
Released: June 13, 2025
Score: 7.5/10
