How to Train Your Dragon (2025) – review

Summer movies are always exciting. They are a great way to spend time together with friends and family, beat the heat and the rain, and can create core memories. One of the most anticipated movies of this year, How To Train Your Dragon, is finally here! The How To Train Your Dragon series is one that has been revered by many. When a live-action version was announced, my entire family collectively held their breath. In the world of live-action remake after live-action remake, worry ran through our minds. We loved the animated trilogy and did not want a one of our favorite series to be different.

I can honestly say that How To Train Your Dragon is one of the BEST live-action remakes I have seen. Shot for shot, this is how remakes should be. And Disney should take notes. But what exactly is it that made this version of How To Train Your Dragon so incredibly special? And is it the summer movie the entire family can see? Let’s chat

About the Movie

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.

With the fierce and ambitious Astrid (BAFTA nominee Nico Parker; Dumbo, The Last of Us) and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber (Nick Frost; Snow White and the Huntsman, Shaun of the Dead) by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.

What I Thought

As I stated in the beginning, this is, by far, the BEST remake I have ever seen. Dean DeBlois, the man behind DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, did not waiver on his original vision of this movie. Characters, timelines, and story arcs remain the same. With a small bit(about 20 minutes extra) of extra character/story line development, this is what a live-action version of a children’s movie should be.

The choice to have Gerard Butler reprise the role of Chief Stoick the Vast was genius. I feel that keeping that familiarity in a live-action remake keeps the sanctity of the classic. Most casting was spot-on, but a few choices had to grow on me. Regardless of a few “not-identical to the original animated version” characters, each actor was 110% on key with the character they portrayed. The likeness of Tuffnut and Harry Trevaldwyn is uncanny!

The visuals for this movie are out of this world. While there is a LOT of CGI, which helps keep familiarity of the animated classic, seeing this movie in IMAX really helps change the perspective. You aren’t just watching a movie – you actually feel a part of it. And Toothless? I mean, you know he is a big dragon, but seeing this live-action version gives his size new meaning. Seeing a live-action version of Toothless makes him that much more real. And thanks to IMAX, you totally feel as if you are flying with him in certain parts of the movie.

Is How To Train Your Dragon safe for the whole family?

How To Train Your Dragon has a runtime of 1 hour & 56 minutes and is rated PG for sequences of intense action, and peril. The movie is near identical to the animated version, but these dragons appear real. There are many intense fighting scenes that could cause younger children to close their eyes.

The live-action aspect of this movie makes watching the dragon fights hard. While you and I both know they are “just CGI,” they look real, so it was not hard to feel bad for the dragons in fight scenes. Watching the initial dragon fight was intense, knowing the Vikings were setting out to kill them. The dragons had individual characteristics and quirks, making them appear like a real creature.

The overall message of the movie is the same, emphasizing the importance of empathy and creating a better world for all. Your voice matters and if you take a chance, others will hear you. This makes How To Train Your Dragon so important for your whole family to see.

Overall

It’s so hard to find movies that your whole family can see and be entertained on the same level. DreamWorks is on a roll of creating entertaining, well-done movies – I laughed, cried, covered my eyes and clapped with this one. These are all important emotions to experience when seeing a movie that will last for generations to come.

How To Train Your Dragon is in theaters now. Grab your kids, get the popcorn and see one of the best family movies this summer.

Maria H. (ndm#130)

A Disney blooded, crafty, fun-lovin’ wife/mom/organizer/planner, etc who is obsessed with all things Disney 🙂 Maria grew up with the Magic Kingdom and has loved watching WDW evolve into what it is today. A firm believer in the Power of Pixie Dust, she is the owner of The Disney Driven Life – A Community for Neurotic Disney People & a d.i.y. crafty blog, Carousel of Projects – create~inspire~share.

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