"Back into the fog we go."
Universal Pictures / DreamWorks Animation
Newcomers Mason Thames and Nico Parker (daughter of Thandiwe Newton) take over as Vikings-in-training, Hiccup and Astrid, to translate the coming-of-age tale into a fully human performance-based experience. While Thames is able and fits the part with some mild Jay Baruchel-like energy, it's Parker's dynamic star presence that's easily the best addition to the franchise remake. A heavily-bearded Gerard Butler reprises his animated voice role with Nick Frost and Julian Dennison rounding out the main Viking cast as DeBlois has hired as many expressive, cartoon-like actors to make the transition all the smoother.
There's some having to sit through the same introductory exposition about the unlikely Hiccup taming the deadly beast all the Vikings are sworn to eliminate, as he's made fun of for his skinny stature, modest frame, and generally un-Viking-like behaviour. But once the titular training aspects and energetic montages, filmed gloriously by acclaimed cinematographer Bill Pope, start to establish the "boy and his dragon" storytelling narrative with Toothless, everything starts to soar, wondrously accompanied by composer John Powell's magnetic musical score from the original film.
Our new How to Train Your Dragon adds little new to the film as an almost a one-for-one carbon copy outside of its translation into live-action, and despite it still feeling "animated" at certain points. However, it mostly succeeds in faithfully recreating the emotional heart and dragon flying highs of the 2010 animated film. DeBlois takes few risks, aside from some minor diverse casting choices, to maintain the cinematic fidelity of his animated trilogy. It's a worthy retelling for both new viewers and existing fans of the original.
More | YVArcade / Indiewire / Inverse / ScreenCrush
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