How To Train Your Dragon (2025) Review – Live-Action Magic or Miss?

Live-Action How To Train Your Dragon (2025) – Full Movie Breakdown

Alright, folks — we’ve got another live-action remake on our hands, and this time, it’s not Disney behind it. How to Train Your Dragon (2025) is DreamWorks’ attempt to bring one of its most beloved animated films into the world of flesh, bone, and yes... pixels. So the big question is: does it soar or just sort of flap around awkwardly for two and a half hours?

Let’s saddle up and find out.

Back to Berk (Again)

The new How to Train Your Dragon is basically a 1:1 translation of the 2010 animated classic — and if you're familiar with that version, you're not going to be surprised here. We still follow Hiccup, the awkward Viking misfit, and his unlikely friendship with the fiercest dragon in the sky, Toothless. It’s still about breaking traditions, changing perspectives, and forming bonds where none were thought possible.

What’s new? Mostly the visuals. But we’ll get to that.

The Cast: Some Hit, Some Miss

Mason Thames (yeah, the kid from The Black Phone) takes up the mantle as Hiccup. And honestly? He nails the vibe. Jay Baruchel’s shoes were big (and kind of nerdy) to fill, but Mason brings that same nervous energy, heart, and charm. His awkwardness isn’t forced — it works. And that's essential when you're supposed to bond with a CGI dragon that isn’t even there.

Gerard Butler returns as Stoick — this time in full Viking dad glory, not just a voice. It's almost like the animated version of Stoick was just a dress rehearsal for this. Great call bringing him back.

Then there’s Astrid… and yeah, here’s where things wobble a bit. She feels stiff — not stoic Viking stiff, more like "first rehearsal" kind of stiff. There’s supposed to be tension and eventual chemistry between her and Hiccup, but that part of the movie feels undercooked. They spend too much time building the distance between the two characters and not enough closing that gap. When she suddenly softens up near the end, it feels more like a plot requirement than a natural arc.

Visuals: Live-Action or CGI Overload?

This is where things get murky. We call it a live-action remake, but let’s be real — this thing is about 80% green screen and CGI. And unfortunately, it doesn’t always blend as smoothly as you’d hope. The dragons do look great — faithful to the animated designs, just with a photoreal twist — but the environments sometimes feel a little too artificial.

It doesn’t hit the practical magic of something like Pirates of the Caribbean or Lord of the Rings. Instead, it veers closer to that hyper-digital feel of modern MCU entries or Avatar. Not bad, just not immersive in the way you might expect from “live-action.”

Music to Our Ears

Major props to John Powell, who returns to score the film just like he did for the original. The music is still absolutely phenomenal. That iconic theme kicks in during the flight scenes and goosebumps. Honestly, the score is a huge part of what keeps this remake emotionally grounded. If you're gonna remake a classic, this is how you bring the heart with it.

⏳ The Pacing Problem

Let’s talk about the elephant in the mead hall: this movie is a full 30 minutes longer than the animated version. And yeah, you feel it.

The added scenes — mostly involving Hiccup’s social exile, extra time with the other Viking teens, and a few more training sequences — don’t add that much. In fact, they kind of drag the momentum down. It’s like watching the extended cut of a movie that didn’t really need one. Sure, more content is nice in theory, but not when it messes with the flow.

Land of Geek Rating: 7.5/10‍

A solid remake that plays it safe, hits the emotional beats, but never quite reaches the soaring heights of the original. Worth a watch — just maybe not at full price.

✅ Pros:

• Faithful to the original story and tone
• Mason Thames and Gerard Butler are great casting choices
• Toothless still rules — visually and emotionally
• Epic score from returning composer John Powell
• Visual designs stay true to the animated characters

❌ Cons:

• Slower pacing with unnecessary extra scenes
• Astrid feels stiff and her chemistry with Hiccup is weak
• Heavy CGI blurs the line between “live-action” and animation
• Doesn’t quite recapture the emotional punch of the original
• Might not justify a theatrical trip — better suited for streaming

The heart of the story is still there — Hiccup and Toothless’s bond is magical, no matter the medium. The film has emotional weight, some great visuals, and a killer score. But it also suffers from the same problems a lot of live-action remakes face: bloated runtime, inconsistent performances, and a kind of identity crisis about what “live-action” even means in 2025.

Still, if you love the original, this is a nostalgic ride worth taking — maybe not in IMAX, but definitely once it hits streaming (which it probably will in, like, 4 weeks).

Stay in the skies with more fantasy film reviews and dragon-sized deep dives at Land of Geek Magazine!

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