ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Like many others in the earlier 2010s, I got caught up in the “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise craze (somewhat thanks to my younger sister) and was charmed by the story of leading man Hiccup and his dragon, Toothless.
DreamWorks recently decided to enter the live-action remake sphere by taking on the first film of the franchise, which I had the chance to take in as a birthday present to myself. For those who aren’t as familiar with the franchise, the first movie follows Hiccup Haddock III, an outcast and son of the village chief, who wishes to become a dragon slayer like the other Vikings, but instead helps and befriends a rare Night Fury dragon, ultimately discovering things are not exactly as they seem in the centuries-old conflict between Vikings and dragons.
The people who were in charge of casting definitely deserve praise because they definitely did a great job. Mason Thames does a wonderful job as Hiccup, and he does a great job recreating the original awkwardness of the character without becoming almost a caricature, and I could definitely tell he cared about doing right by this role. He’s able to convey tons of emotion and character development as the movie goes on, and he was definitely the perfect choice. Gerard Butler also does a great job reprising his role as Hiccup’s father, Stoick the Vast, from the original trilogy, and much like James Earl Jones reprising Mufasa in the “The Lion King” remake, I honestly don’t think there was anyone anyone else who could have filled the role. Nick Frost also does a great job as Hiccup’s mentor, Gobber, and his funny moments just feel so natural throughout the movie. However, while everyone in the cast is talented and did a great job, I felt like there wasn’t as much comedic chemistry as there could have been – there were times where the delivery of the jokes and other dialogue felt almost flat, and to me, it felt like there was a bit of a spark missing in that regard. All in all, however, the casting was done really well.
In terms of the visual effects, the crew in charge of that also deserves some praise. Toothless and all the other dragons looked absolutely amazing, and I could tell there was definitely care taken to make sure the dragons maintained that fantastical air/look while not looking completely cartoonish. Studios seem to be learning from the “Ugly Sonic” debacle a few years ago when it comes to designing fantasy creatures. The Red Death dragon our heroes fight in the end’s climactic fight looked especially fierce and scary, but in a good way, and the visual effects crews did a great job. It was also a great call filming the movie in Ireland, because the landscapes and scenery are absolutely stunning, whether it’s a scene set at sea, in a forest, or in Hiccup’s village of Berk.
The music, which is under the charge of the original trilogy’s composer John Powell, is again completely stunning and soaring throughout the movie, particularly the scene with Hiccup and Toothless’s first official flight. The music during the battle scenes is also strong and driving and puts viewers right in the middle of the action. The powers that be definitely made a good call bringing Powell back, and he definitely hasn’t lost his touch.
By now, I’m sure you can tell I had a good time watching this movie and enjoyed it overall. While that’s true, when I was leaving the theatre, I asked myself the same question I did when I heard the initial rumors the remake would be happening – “Why is this movie happening?” There are many scenes and lines of dialogue lifted directly from the film’s animated predecessor, meaning there’s not really anything new to show or do, which rather begs the question (to me, anyway) of how/why the project came to be in the first place. The handful of Disney remakes I’ve watched at least added at least SOMETHING extra, whether it’s new music or new secondary characters, but this movie didn’t really add anything new. The movie is, without a doubt, very well done, and there’s definitely care put forth for the fans, but since there’s not really anything new put forth, it felt kind of hollow, and there’s not that spark of magic that would make this movie REALLY shine. Dreamworks could have easily put this movie’s budget toward an original story and film and not copy Disney’s strategy of remaking their classic films, especially since the “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise really isn’t even that old.
Overall, I enjoyed revisiting Berk and all of its colorful characters, human and reptile alike, and I would give this “How to Train Your Dragon” remake a “B-plus” grade. The casting is very well done, especially with Mason Thames in the lead role of Hiccup, and I foresee a bright movie future for him, because he has a lot of talent. The visual effects and other production values of the movie are also very well done, and there was definitely a lot of care and effort put toward that aspect, particularly with the dragons. And while the movie is very well done, I couldn’t help but wonder “Why?” as far as the overall project, because there’s not really anything new offered with this iteration. If you’re a fan of the original franchise, or if you’re looking for a good movie afternoon with your kids, “How to Train Your Dragon” is a good one to check out.
