With an opening weekend that landed in theaters to a financially higher than anticipated reception, and a sequel already confirmed and in the works, it’s time to discuss Dreamworks’ first venture into live-action remake territory.
A congrats is owed to the Dreamworks team following the successful release of their first live-action adaptation. The studio’s beloved classic animated film, How to Train Your Dragon finally got the live-action treatment earlier this month. We’ve got to say, as far as live-actions go, the final result isn’t bad at all. Upon the film’s release both critics and audiences responded generally positive as far as live-action reviews go. Many praised it for capturing the essence of what made the original film so special. People also praised it for its success at incorporating new elements that managed to strengthen the film rather than weaken it. So what specifically about the film contributed to its overall success? We have a complete comparative breakdown for you here!
The story
The fictional Viking village of Berk that the story takes place in is easy to fall in love with. From the fierce village chief Stoick, to the beautiful and self-assured Astrid, there’s a Viking for everyone to connect to. There is no viking more relatable than the films protagonist, Hiccup. Hiccup, the scrawny teenage son of the chief, learns quite early that he isn’t the dragon slayer his father is raising him to be. The inciting incident that sparks this realization brings both Hiccup’s and our first introduction to the lovable dragon, Toothless. Throughout the film, audiences get to watch Hiccup and Toothless form a deep bond and friendship with one another. Various moments together pushes Hiccup closer to Toothless, and further from the legacy of what Vikings are “supposed” to be. These moments are elevated through beautiful, animated visuals, and a beautifully cinematic score crafted by composer John Powell.
All these elements work together to create a moving film that touches on the importance of friendship and embracing what makes you different. The live-action film translates all these details needed to not only to be present, but elevated.
The actors/characters
One of the first steps to doing the film justice was casting actors that captured the spirit of their animated counterparts. The cast was pretty much all new actors, outside of Gerard Butler, who reprised his role as Stoick the Vast. Butler returning allowed live-action Stoick to be just as loud and courageous as he was in 2010. While any returning voice would’ve been a gift, something about hearing the same fatherly voice we did growing up felt nostalgic. Seeing an age-accurate Hiccup played by young actor Mason Thames was a treat! Thames seemed to perfectly embody the anxiously awkward energy Hiccup carried in the original. Astrid was played by the beautiful Nico Parker. Nico excellently mastered the balancing of Astrid’s strong and independent spirit, with the dynamic and romantic nature of her relationship with Hiccup.
The cast wonderfully adapted the rest of the viking gang, like Gobber, goofy twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and more! Not only did the actors recapture the spirit of their own characters, they recreated the chemistry with one another. The back-and-forth of the teenage gang, and the overall familial bond within the community of Berk, was a joy to watch again on screen.
The setting
In our opinion, the island of Berk is a character all in its own. In the animated film, the island of Berk is described as a cold, wet, heaping pile of rocks. Despite its dull description, it’s actually rather beautiful. The islands sweeping rocky cliffs, or sprawling forests are the backdrop for some of the films most iconic scenes. While it would be impossible to perfectly execute every magical element of Berk, the live- action certainly doesn’t disappoint.
The live version still holds that same salt-aired misty atmosphere that you can nearly feel through the screen. The rock stacks and pink skies present during Hiccup and Astrids Toothless flight scene feel just as romantic. Most importantly, the island easily lends itself to being a believable hotspot for all the dragons Berk encounters on a daily basis. While in some moments this island felt like a duller version of its eccentric predecessor, the effort was still evident. Not every live-action adaptation can say the same.
The dragons
Perhaps one of the most important elements of this film lies in the title of the movie: the Dragons! It was going to be very important that the dragons in this film toed line of being believable in appearance, but also in the fact that they eventually formed bonds with the humans. One of the things that set the original apart, is how they presented the dragons as equally lovable and ferocious. It’s safe to say a dragon that checks both boxes is more easily achieved in an animated film. This film was a bit of a mixed bag when it came to adapting the dragons, but the bag was mostly positive!
The film seemed to excel in crafting the ferocious nature of the dragons. They came across as menacing, thieving, and intimidating. When we get the opening fighting sequence between the viking and dragons, their mentality is easy to understand. How could these massive, fire breathing, violent creatures be anything other than dangerous? It’s the answering of this question that the film occasionally fell a bit short on. The fearsome designs that allowed these dragons to look realistic, also made them a slightly harder to sell in other ways. When it came to believing that these creatures could be friends with humans, the other dragons seemed to lack the personality and quirkiness that endeared Toothless to us in both the animated and live-action story. It was hardly a glaring flaw, and experiencing the trajectory of the viking and dragon bond was still loads of fun.
Toothless and Hiccup’s bond
The bond between our protagonist and his dragon, is the heart of this story. Every moment that pushed Toothless and Hiccup closer together, further cemented the original as a future classic. Recapturing the depth and growth of their friendship was going to be vital to the live action’s success. We’re excited to share that that is one area that surpassed all expectations. The moment we see the scene of pick up being unable to kill toothless, we know we’re in for an equally emotional journey. The film does an excellent job at portraying The hiccup and toothless are two sides of the same coin. They both are expected to be one thing, and aren’t given the chance to prove they’re another until they meet each other.
Key moments in the relationship, and all the emotions present during those scenes, somehow manage to feel even more heightened. A standout scene in the film is the moment Toothless allows Hiccup to touch him for the first time. From the stick drawing to the curious glances, complete with an elevated version of John Powell’s classic score, the scene is emotionally poignant. From there on the two of them take each bonding moment in stride, and it is by far the best part of the film.
So, what was your take on the film?
Did this this version of the film capture your heart as much as the original? To learn more about the story, and gain further insight on this live-action versus original debate click here.
