This live-action remake of the first film of the successful animated film trilogy is one of the more successful examples of the recent trend, feeling faithfully authentic to its cinematic predecessor in both look and spirit to an extraordinary degree. Two key elements for this version to get right were the central relationship between Hiccup and Toothless, which it does really well right from their first tentative encounter, and the action sequences which are delivered energetically. The dragons, especially Toothless, retain the cartoonish style that is recognisable and accessible to younger viewers, integrated into the live action elements very well. The occasionally mock-operatic score feels at times unnecessarily overblown as it thunders along in the background, but design and world-building are both consistently engaging and effective, clearly having been giving the resources to make this film work. Mason Thames does a really good job of humanising Hiccup, and other key characters - from his gruffly humorous father to his eclectic band of buddies - are realised extremely well in this format. This 2025 version is an efficient, well-made and entertaining version in its own right, perhaps unnecessary but certainly strong enough to stand on its own merits.
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