A live action How to Train Your Dragon breathes life into the animated adaptation courtesy of original co-director and writer, Dean Deblois! The writer and director has guided the franchise with the trilogy starting with the 2010 film (it is currently streaming on Max), How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014), and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019). This also includes eight seasons of Dragons: Riders of Berk (2012) with many of the original voice cast. Season 2 was Dragons: Defenders of Berk (2013-2014) and season 3 to 8 was Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015-2018). It all began with the children’s book written by Cressida Cowell which led to four more books.
This is the first time that the director of the animation has moved to directing the live action and it is clearly the way to go since Deblois know the world and characters! We follow the moonlit sea as we hear the narration of Hiccup played by Mason Thames. Finney in the horror movie, The Black Phone (2021), was played by Thames. We see the island which Hiccup introduces, “This is Berk.” He continues, “The only problem is the pests.” Hiccup is seen with his mop of brown hair. He goes to open a door, but it is smothered in flames as he closes it! The village is in chaos during the dragons’ attack. One burns a trail as Hiccup is pulled back by his father, Stoick the Vast.
It is a welcome return for Gerard Butler from the animated film. He was also in the action movie, Den of Thieves: Pantera, this year. Stoick is massive, more armor than beard here, and with a large, horned helmet. Also the chieftain of the village. He gets a report of the dragons in the invasion. Large devices with a bowl of fire rise illuminating the dragons. Hiccup goes to help Gobber (Nick Frost), he works as apprentice to the blacksmith. Frost was the voice of the droid, SM-33 in Skeleton Crew. He has a bushy, blonde moustached and beard, with attachements for his right arm and a peg leg. The young villagers, the cool kids, are part of the Fire Brigade who are important later.
Hiccup’s attention is focused on their captain who is swinging on a pole to put out a fire on a roof. Out of the mist, Astrid appears, played by Nico Parker. The actress is memorable in the premiere episode, “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” (2023) of The Last of Us, she played Sarah the daughter of Joel Miller. Hiccup has his double barreled cannon, but it almost shoots the Fire Brigade! He is a clever inventor, an engineer for this time, and his device is less brutal than the harpoon weapon in the original. He rolls it up to a cliff and when he sees a burst sends its bolo weapon out catching a Night Fury! Hiccup returns to his village. The dragons have found the storehouse and rip off it roof to find the sheep herded inside. This is also new. Hiccup’s victory is short lived as the Monstrous Nightmare starts to chase him!
The designs for a photo realistic dragon of course tend towards the creatures of fantasy movies and Jurassic Park than the silly animated forms. The dragon is struck back by Stoick who literally shows his prowess against dragons by punching its jaw. He drives it away and the village is left devasted with the dragons flying away with sheep in the night. It is interesting that Hiccup and Gobber are inventors, but have not used any devices to protect the sheep. The inventions don't always work out, but just hiding the sheep doesn't seem to be a defense. At the village hall, Hiccup tries to explain to his father about the Night Fury, but Stoick is more interested in the loss of food for the winter. A few of the gathered Vikings are from different parts of the world. This is a change, but none of them prove really useful to the rest of the film.
Hiccup tries to convince Stoick that he is a dragon killer, but his father is exhausted and sends him away with Gobber. He is mocked by the Fire Brigade as he leaves. On the way to Hiccup's house, Gobber tells him, "Stop trying to be something you're not." Difficult when everyone is a Viking, but one of the themes of the movie. When Gobber leaves, Hiccup takes to the hills. Stoick returns to address the village and says that they have to mount an attack on the unknown nest of the dragons.They all agree to take their ships to find the nest. Afterwards, Stoick tells Gobber to train the new recruits. He also confides in his friend his disappointment in Hiccup who was always different. Gobber tells his chief that he can't always protect his son. The next day, Hiccup is still searching for the Night Fury in the forest. Then, he sees a broken tree trunk and goes to the edge of a cliff to see the dragon!
The lost opportunity for the adaptation to live action is the dragons. We have hints of the parents of the other young characters. We know from the animated film that they eventually ride the dragons. So in the arena scene, the dragons should defeat our heroes, but there should be hints that dragons are interested in Snoutlout, Fishlegs, and the twins. For instance, the Gruesome Gronckle is Fishlegs' favorite dragon, and the Gronckle is playful in defeating him. It could be a comedic moment when the Hideous Zippleback tangles its two heads trying to go after Ruffnut and Tuffnut running in different directions. Each young Viking should be first in attacking the dragon and the dragon should at some point sniff them to get their scent.
Five Viking Helmets out of Five!
#HowToTrainYourDragon, #DeanDublois, #CressidaCowell, #MasonThames, #NicoParker, #GerardButler, #NickFrost, #JulianDennison, #GabrielHowell, #HarryTrevaldwyn, #BronwynJames
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