How to Train Your Dragon

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My existence seems to be overflowing with dragons lately, as if they’ve taken over my life for the past couple of years.

Either it was the popularity of BookTok and the upcoming TV show for “Fourth Wing,” or the anticipation surrounding “House of the Dragon” and its dragon characters that consistently drew me towards my couch or cinema – and now, it just turned out to be the live-action adaptation of “How To Train Your Dragon.” Naturally, I couldn’t resist watching it in theaters. After all, we’re talking about dragons here!

Without a doubt, the live-action adaptation truly excelled and showcased sheer power, akin to a mighty Viking warrior’s behind. However, there was one aspect that they enhanced significantly, making it even more impressive – let’s delve into it.

The Live-Action Remake Was Done So Incredibly Well

As a film enthusiast, let me tell you, this flick was something extraordinary! Truly top-notch, beyond compare.

In today’s era of live-action remakes, particularly Disney’s, we find ourselves braced for a standard of quality that often falls short. It’s unusual for a live-action adaptation to recreate the enchantment of its original animated counterpart without diminishing it somehow. While movies like Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast have managed some success, many other adaptations, though they may have achieved their goals, haven’t come close to matching the brilliance of the originals.

Frankly speaking, there was hardly any room for improvement in this rendition. It essentially followed the same narrative as the original How to Train Your Dragon films, so we weren’t exactly presented with a fresh storyline. Nevertheless, the characters and visual effects were exceptional, leaving me yearning for my own Toothless once again upon exiting the theater.

However, one element of the tale was enhanced in this version, greatly enhancing my enjoyment.

This Time Around, I Actually Liked The Side Characters

To put it plainly, it’s no secret that many of us enjoy the films “How To Train Your Dragon” primarily because of Hiccup and Toothless. Without their unique pairing – a boy with an unconventional spirit and a dragon with a hurt past – these movies simply wouldn’t exist.

You might find yourself drawn to the captivating love story between Astrid and Hiccup, much like myself. It’s hard to put into words just how relatable and authentic their animated relationship seems. They complement each other so well that discussing them for hours wouldn’t feel like enough.

To put it plainly, although the ancillary characters from the initial films provided some entertainment, they tended to be easily forgotten. Admittedly, there were antagonists and other characters that left an impression, but the student Vikings Hiccup trains alongside? They seemed remarkably forgettable in numerous aspects.

However, in the live-action, I genuinely loved them.

In the animated films, Hiccup’s companions seemed primarily designed to contrast with him, which is acceptable, but as the series progressed, their presence became increasingly grating to me. They often made jokes that didn’t advance the plot and, in my opinion, didn’t seem to mature much either. By the end of the third film in the trilogy, I had grown tired of them.

Instead of the live-action, they had a richer character depth and plenty of opportunities for humor, which was often elicited from their dialogue rather than the opposing party’s words this time. I found myself genuinely chuckling at many instances.

Giving Them A Little More Backstory Was Such An Amazing Idea

Giving side characters their own background stories can help make them more relatable, ensuring you won’t just find them amusing but also feel connected to them on a deeper level.

A clear illustration of this is the addition of Snotlout’s family history in the film, which may not be familiar to most viewers since they might not have watched the TV series. While there are brief hints about his past in the show, the majority of moviegoers likely haven’t seen it. This extra backstory makes us slightly more sympathetic towards Snotlout in this film compared to how he was portrayed in the initial movies.

Watching him share a brief, touching moment with his father towards the movie’s end felt gratifying – an opinion I wouldn’t have expected myself, given my dislike for this character throughout the film.

And Somehow, There Was So Much More Emotion In Them This Time Around

What I appreciate about both DreamWorks Animated films and Disney’s animated productions is their ability to convey an immense amount of emotion through animation. It offers a rich palette for creative expression since the emotions are already visually present, ready to be brought to life by skilled artists.

In the live-action adaptation of the characters, I found myself experiencing a significantly greater depth of emotion compared to the animated version. This might be due to the fact that we delved more into their combat abilities in this iteration, but their emotions seemed authentic. The fear, the rage, the suspicion when Hiccup unexpectedly excelled – it all came together beautifully and resonated strongly with me.

It’s possible that the appreciation extends to the live-action cast of “How to Train Your Dragon” as well; this set of young characters particularly resonated with me in this instance.

I Want To See A Heck Of A Lot More Of Them In The Sequels

I really never thought I would say this, but I want to see more of them.

Initially, when I delved into the world of “How to Train Your Dragon” films, my focus primarily revolved around Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless, Stoick, and their comrades. The side characters, however, held little interest for me at first.

Initially, that was my mindset regarding this live-action film, yet I must confess I erred significantly. Nonetheless, I obtained everything I anticipated – from Gerard Butler’s outstanding portrayal of Stoick, embodying the iconic character flawlessly, to Nico Parker’s performance as Astrid. Despite early criticisms surrounding her casting, she was spot-on. Overall, it all came together beautifully.

But now, I want to see way more characters—so many more side characters.

I strongly believe there’s tremendous potential in this. Transitioning the characters to live-action opens up an opportunity to delve deeper into their histories, since animated films often have time limitations that prevent extensive exploration. Even though I initially thought I wouldn’t care for any further stories about them, I now find myself eagerly wanting to see more.

Although the upcoming live-action “How To Train Your Dragon” film won’t be included in the 2025 cinema calendar, I am eagerly looking forward to its release with an open heart, anticipating many more interesting supporting characters.

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2025-06-20 17:10