Early reactions by critics to the new live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” have poured in with high favor of the movie.
Critics are pleased with the visuals, with many noting how accurately the actors portrayed the animated characters.
With some mixed opinions, overall, critics seem to think the live-action remake is worthy of the risk.
The new 2025 adaptation of “How to Train Your Dragon” was directed by Dean DeBlois, who co-directed the original with Chris Sanders.
According to The Independent, DeBlois isn’t fully on board with the new animated-to-live-action-remake trend. But when he heard the “How to Train Your Dragon” remake was already confirmed, he agreed to direct the remake and “try to do it right,” reported the article.
The movie stars Mason Thames as Hiccup and Nico Parker as Astrid. The live-action movie about vikings and dragons is almost a shot-for-shot remake of the original — with a few minor additions.
What critics think about live-action ‘How to Train Your Dragon’
- Peter Debruge with Variety wrote, “The original ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ was never a one-off, blooming into a full trilogy over time. With this do-over, DeBlois has the chance to reinforce the foundation, which should make the sequels stronger. It’s hard to improve on the first movie, though the last act looks positively iconic in this new incarnation, unlocking the expressionistic power of ‘Heavy Metal’ toons and Boris Vallejo paintings.”
- Sarah Moran with Screen Rant wrote, “The ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ live-action remake is a fantastic movie, not just emulating the animated original, but elevating it, all while also delivering an exciting summer blockbuster poised to thrill. ... DeBlois has crafted a movie that is both a loving homage to the animated original and an exciting summer blockbuster full of spectacle and heart.”
- Kate Erbland with IndieWire wrote, “This one? Well, it’s good enough to pull me back from the brink of demanding that all such remakes be burnt (by) fire. I will likely even happily turn out for its already-announced sequel, due in 2027. Mostly, what DeBlois and his team have done is capture the tone and whimsy of the 2010 animated hit, and pushed it gently into a live-action world that feels just as (if, oddly enough, not more so) plucked out of some family-friendly fairy tale.”
- Radheyan Simonpillai with The Guardian wrote, “If there’s one moment that nearly grasps the visceral thrill of the original, it’s the centerpiece Avatar-like flight sequence, when Hiccup and Toothless sync up and soar through skies. The moment falls short of the simple and pristine beauty from the animated movie, when Toothless carves the clouds with his wings, but it’s got the same rollercoaster momentum as the dragon grazes the water and ducks through cavernous landscapes, the audience riding on his back alongside Hiccup.”
- Lovia Gyarkye with The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “DeBlois does a fine job capturing the intimacy of Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless, and fans of the original will be glad to know that the test flight scene remains, as well as the early encounter in which Hiccup tries to touch Toothless for the first time. On a tonal level, this version of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ seems much more geared toward children; most of the cutting and sarcastic jokes have been revised."