How to Train Your Dragon

8.4 - This is one of the hardest to rank movies I’ve seen in a loooong time.

Did we need it? No, the original is a masterpiece, & it’s almost a shot for shot remake.

Did I enjoy it? Absolutely, the original is a masterpiece & it’s almost a shot for shot remake.

I’ve wondered with almost every live action remake that Disney has released over the lost decade or so - what would happen if they just remade it and didn’t change the story at all? My answer was always that it would feel too hollow & wouldn’t be enjoyable.

Here, DreamWorks has given us that answer. It does feel a little hollow, but when the story is right it’s still good.

I think a lot of credit goes to Dean DeBlois. Putting this project right back into the hands of the guy who gave us the original was smart. I still felt the love for the characters & their journeys. I imagine there were next to no internal squabbles over rewriting & new messages & morals, & I think you can feel that.

It’s not as magical, mystical, & gentle as the animated version - it just can’t be. But it is still full of life & heart - you don’t just lose that with good writing.

I know there was some public outcry early in promotion about some of the cast, but I think most of the actors nailed their roles, especially the main two kids. I don’t care that Astrid isn’t blonde.

Also the CGI teams, lighting, & sound teams all deserve immense credit. Where so many of these live remakes struggle is to capture the emotion of the animation. The dragons are still cartoony & playful - the opposite of The Lion King. The lighting is still bright & beautiful. And the score & sound are still powerful.

All in all, it’s everything I want a live action remake of an animated classic to be. But at the same time it hurts a bit to endorse it because I don’t want to encourage more of them to be made. But since I know that the money machine will continue to pump them out, I at least want to say use this as an example of how to do it well.

And the irony of the immense problems with the remake of DeBlois’s best work (Lilo & Stitch (2002)) being released almost simultaneously to this is not lost on me one bit. It may be as necessary a time as ever for Disney to hit the strategy reset button.

GIVE ME A DRAGON. NOW.

Entertaining but could have casted twins better

8/10 - One of the best live action movies to date! Can’t wait for the second movie!!

89/100