Director: Dean Deblois Cast: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gabriel Howell, Julian Dennison, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Peter Serafinowicz, Nick Frost, Gerard Butler
Duration: 125min
Release in Belgium: 1/06/2025

The Story

How to Train Your Dragon takes place during the Viking era, on the island of Berk, a land plagued by dragons. The island lies close to a dragon nest that Vikings from various tribes have been trying to locate for generations, with one goal in mind: to destroy the dragons.

Ordinary people might have left such a dangerous place, but not the Vikings, they face the fight head-on. Hiccup (Mason Thames) is the son of Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), the chieftain who leads the united Viking tribes. Hiccup, however, is different. According to his father, there’s not a drop of Viking blood in his veins. Stoick trains all Vikings to become true dragon slayers. He’s disappointed in his son and refuses to let him take part in the initiation trials, the “fire test.” Hiccup’s peers, however, are all allowed to participate.

To those around him, Hiccup is clumsy, odd, and talentless, so he’s hidden away in the village forge. Yet he is determined to win his father’s approval and designs contraptions meant to capture or kill dragons. During one of the raids, he tests one of his inventions, and miraculously captures a Night Fury, the most mythical of all dragons, a creature never seen, known only through legend.

Among Hiccup’s peers is Astrid (Nico Parker), the tribe’s greatest young warrior and the village’s pride. She hardly notices him, but Hiccup is hopelessly in love with her.

The day after the raid, Hiccup sets out to find the dragon he captured. In a valley between steep cliffs, he discovers the injured Night Fury, unable to fly due to a damaged tail. Over time, Hiccup forms a bond with the creature, whom he names Toothless, a dragon who can retract his teeth when calm and trusting.

When most of the Vikings set off to locate the dragon nest, Stoick allows Hiccup to join the fire test training in his absence. The final challenge is to slay a dragon by hand. Hiccup wants to tell his father that he doesn’t wish to become a dragon killer, but keeps silent, torn between loyalty and his longing for approval.

His friendship with Toothless gives him a new perspective on life. The tension between social pressure, tribal expectations, and his newfound understanding is clearly portrayed. While participating in the trials under the watchful eye of the community, Hiccup also works on a mechanical prosthetic tail for Toothless, allowing them to fly together. Through cooperation, they both become the best versions of themselves, bound by mutual trust and gratitude.

Conclusion

The live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon is somewhat darker than the animated original. Since DeBlois also directed the original animation, this adaptation closely mirrors its predecessor. What stands out, however, is that the supporting characters receive less attention, while the protagonist’s identity is explored in greater depth. Something I actually see as an improvement rather than a flaw.

I had hoped to see profound emotion in the bond between two beings who both feel like outsiders, and that expectation was fully met. The main themes revolve around searching for one’s identity, learning to place it within a larger whole, and reconciling conflicting perspectives.

Toothless’s design, inspired by a salamander and a black panther according to DeBlois, is stunningly realized by VFX studio Framestore. With his expressive eyes and playful demeanor, the dragon forms the emotional heart of the film.

How to Train Your Dragon ultimately exposes a very modern dilemma: how to find your own path when the world labels you as “different.”

Rating: 8

Tekst: Esmeralda Wolf