Welcome Back To Berk!!!! Live-Action Adaptation of DreamWorks Classic Is an Emotionally Thrilling Retelling!
Review By BJ Porter
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| A Legendary Friendship is born |
The Story
Welcome to the island of Berk. For generations, the brave and fierce Viking warriors of this land have dedicated their lives to protecting their home from threats beyond their borders. The most common threat to their land is the constant invasion of fire-breathing dragons. Led by the powerful and noble Stoic The Vast (Gerard Butler), everyone on the island is capable and strong enough to face the threats that threaten Berk… well almost everyone. Unlike some of his more battle-ready counterparts, young Viking in training and blacksmith Hiccup (Mason Thames) prefers to stay behind the front lines, given he’s not as physically strong or quick to jump into a fight as his brethren. The reality of this is made even more complicated by the fact that he is actually the son of Stoic the Vast. It becomes more apparent during his Viking trials, where he must slay a Dragon as a rite of passage, Hiccup begins to accept that he may not be able to live up to the expectations of being a fearsome Viking warrior like his father wants him to be. But fate could see him going down another path he never could’ve expected. Following a test of one of his latest inventions, Hiccup inadvertently incapacitates a young dragon and is shocked to discover that it is actually the legendary nightfury, thought to be one of the deadliest species of dragons, given that no prior knowledge has ever been recorded by Vikings of the past. Excited about the potential of finally being able to live up to the expectations given to him, Hiccup hesitates in slaying the young dragon. Choosing to let it go, given how defenseless and helpless it is, the dragon soon finds itself forming a bond with Hiccup that quickly turns into a friendship that Hiccup never thought was possible when it came to these flying beasts. Taking advantage of this new companionship, while still trying to maintain the secret of this relationship, Hiccup must confront the challenges that come from this forbidden bond and, in turn forge a new future for Vikings and dragons alike.
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| Stotic tries to reason with his son about his future |
The Review
In March of 2010, DreamWorks captivated an entire generation by introducing everybody to the world of How to Train Your Dragon. Highly regarded as one of the greatest animated films of all time, the film has been a beacon of inspiration and wonder for those lucky enough to have seen it. 15 years later, the film‘s original Director Dean Debouis returns audiences to the land of Berk via the live action adaptation of his animated masterpiece. After experiencing the world of Dragons through this brand new lens, the live-action take on How To Train Your Dragon is much like the animated original, but it's presented in a stunning and emotionally invigorating package. The long-standing stigma when it comes to live-action remakes of animated films is pretty well known. Not many reach the levels of iconic status like the animated predecessors. Additionally, sticking to things beat for beat or changing up the narrative makes the task a no-win scenario no matter which direction you go. But How To Train Your Dragon manages to do the aforementioned former, but it's presented in a way that makes it just as breathtaking as the animated film. There is so much to appreciate and gush about this film, but a strong place to start is the cast, who are all near-perfect representations of the animated characters. Our leading man, Mason Thames, truly is Hiccup. Everything from his nervous energy, jitteriness, awkwardness, quirks, vulnerability, and growing confidence is all brilliantly displayed by Thames from first frame to last frame. Thames truly understands the character and what makes him such an easy character to root for. You truly feels his connection with Toothless, and his performance makes everything, including his nightfury screen partner, feel real. Getting this element right was a must, and I'm happy to say I have no notes on it. The other members of the onscreen are equally top tier. Gerard Butler's live-action turn as Stoic truly showcases his talent now that he isn't confined to the voice booth. Butler's vocal performance as Stoic in the original is incredible but with this version, he can flex more muscles and truly bring the character to life in a way that makes him even more real. The intensity and vulnerability shine through even stronger, showing that Butler is just as effective in either version of the character. As for our leading lady, Nico Parker truly delivers as Astrid. There were doubts from some about how her version would come off but Parker silences those doubts effectively. While her animated counterpart seemed to feel like Hiccup didn't belong and her actions toward him can be looked at as bullying, this version of the character is played more like an underdog with something to prove, as she isn't in the position Hiccup is in. She perfectly captures Astrid's underdog mentality and initial coldness well while also growing to see things from Hiccup's perspective, thus respecting him as an individual. I'm super pleased with her performance and proud she did the character justice. Nick Frost, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Gabriel Howell and Julian Dennison all bring great life to Gobber, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Snotlout and Fishlegs, capturing the essence of their characters and being just as engaging as the animated variations. Performances, however, is just one of the things that this remake has going for it. I'm ecstatic to say there is so much more that makes this movie such a thrill.
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| Quite the artist, isn't he? |
Director Dean DeBlois truly shepherds the photorealistic retelling of his animated masterpiece by utilizing a variety of filmmaking tools to really make this version of the story stand out via this new lens. The production and costume design on the film is absolutely stellar, with so much care and detail put into every stitch and every piece of set dressing. When I say they truly brought Berk to life, that is not an understatement. The same level of love and care went into the dragons as well. The creature designs do differ from the animated film, but only by the smallest margin, with Toothless being the obvious standout, given he looks ripped straight from the 2010 classic. Regardless, the dragons look visually stunning and feel real and alive whenever they are on screen. They add so much life to the world despite them obviously being CG. That, in large part, goes to the way the film is shot. The film's cinematography is top tier as Bill Pope's shooting style adds a groundedness and a grit to this take on the story, making every sequence tense and edge-of-your-seat thrilling. The iconic flying sequence and climactic battle is just as breathtaking as the original, but the perspective the live-action lens offers gives it a visceral sense of higher stakes, truly making you feel the danger of the scenario. This movie is a great example of what happens when you have the right team involved, bringing a story this important to life, and everyone being on their A-game throughout. Even if it doesn't reach the heights of the original, it can still be a fantastic cinematic experience by itself. Overall, How To Train Your Dragon belongs in the top echelon of live-action adaptations for staying true to what made the original so special and how it did so. DeBlois took full advantage of the tools that live-action storytelling offered and crafted a lovingly done version of his original masterpiece that is just as emotionally invigorating, funny, and action-packed. The original is forever considered a classic within the animation genre, but the new version of the beloved tale offers a more than worthy entry point to the world that is sure to captivate an entirely new generation of dragon riders.
Final Score Rating
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A gorgeously crafted and emotionally breathtaking new take on the 15 year old classic that offers
the familiar in a package that is absolutely worth the return trip.
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| The next chapter awaits the riders of Berk. |
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