How To Train Your Dragon Remake Reviews Are In

The first reviews are in for the live-action How to Train Your Dragon. Disney has been making live-action versions of their animated classics for a decade now, but this is DreamWorks’ first foray into the stylistic subgenre. The live-action film transports audiences back to Berk, where dragons and Vikings co-exist. While it returns Gerard Butler to his role as Stoick, How to Train Your Dragon features a largely new cast including Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Julian Dennison, Nick Frost, Gabriel Howell, and Bronwyn James. It is set for release on June 13.

The first reviews are in for the live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon, and they are largely positive. ScreenRant’s Sarah Moran gave the film a glowing 8 out of 10-star review, noting that the film had “truly gorgeous visuals and wonderful performances.” Moran felt that the visuals complimented the story such that the movie “delivers the same thrills that came from watching it the first time.” IndieWire’s Katie Erbland gave the movie a B- rating, writing “No one needs a live-action remake, but ones this faithful and sweet are not the problem.”

What This Means For How To Train Your Dragon

Critics Love The Movie’s Casting And Script

A throughline throughout the How to Train Your Dragon reviews seems to be praise for the movie’s casting. Collider’s Maggie Lovitt felt that “Parker and Thames have fantastic chemistry” and that the former was a great choice for Astrid. MovieWeb’s Julian Roman noted that the “diverse supporting cast” is “cleverly explained” within the film. Variety’s Peter Debruge said that “the human cast do an uncanny job of mimicking their cartoon counterparts.” This was another theme throughout these first responses, with critics saying the cast holds up to the original.

The script was also a point of praise for How to Train Your Dragon. Adapted by Dean DeBlois himself, who directs the film and also directed and wrote its original 2010 counterpart. Variety referred to this version as a “rock-solid screenplay.” There was mild criticism throughout, including from The Hollywood Reporter’s Lovia Gyarkye, that the remake played things too straight or too safe. But overall, it seemed that critics felt the film a worthy homage to its source material.

Our Take On How To Train Your Dragon’s First Reviews

This Shows The Importance Of Including Original Creators

I would never have predicted this response based on the initial reactions to the How to Train Your Dragon trailers. While some thought the project looked exciting, others felt the one-to-one sequences were proof that the movie did not need to be made. Instead, it seems that critics feel that the parts that did directly involve the original sequences were a loving tribute rather than a rip-off. This emphasizes the importance of including original creators in a remake, as they will respect their animated origins better than anyone.

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