A Nostalgic Trip Back to 13 Years Old
How to Train Your Dragon (2025) is a live-action remake of DreamWorks' 2010 animated classic. It tells the story of Hiccup, a young Viking who lives in the land of Berk, where humans live in constant conflict with dragons, a war for survival that has shaped their way of life.
I can't write this review without getting personal, I have a funny and surprising connection to this franchise. Back in 2010, I watched the first movie and, honestly? I didn't like it. It just didn't click with me. But in 2016, for some reason, I decided to watch the sequel... and my god, I absolutely loved it. Every second of it. It was perfect.
That changed everything. I went back and watched almost everything this franchise ever produced, including the two animated TV spin-offs. And here's the thing: almost everything in this franchise is genuinely good or at least high quality. So yeah, I became a huge fan. Between 2016 and 2019, I was hyped beyond belief for the third film. And when it finally came out... well, it didn't hit me. Not that it was bad - but after the emotional impact of the second, I had my expectations way too high.
All that to say, when the trailer for the live-action remake came out, I was skeptical. It looked like a frame-by-frame remake, but with awkward CGI and real people. I was honestly expecting something boring.
But damn, I was so wrong.
Yes, the movie follows the original almost shot-for-shot, but it works. In fact, it's better than I expected - maybe even better than the original. The same characters, the same events, even the same lines - but everything is executed so well, from the direction to the performances, that I couldn't stop smiling from beginning to end.
It felt like I was 13 again, back in 2016, rewatching every bit of this world I had fallen in love with.
This is truly the definition of a love letter to fans.
YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT.
I can't write this review without getting personal, I have a funny and surprising connection to this franchise. Back in 2010, I watched the first movie and, honestly? I didn't like it. It just didn't click with me. But in 2016, for some reason, I decided to watch the sequel... and my god, I absolutely loved it. Every second of it. It was perfect.
That changed everything. I went back and watched almost everything this franchise ever produced, including the two animated TV spin-offs. And here's the thing: almost everything in this franchise is genuinely good or at least high quality. So yeah, I became a huge fan. Between 2016 and 2019, I was hyped beyond belief for the third film. And when it finally came out... well, it didn't hit me. Not that it was bad - but after the emotional impact of the second, I had my expectations way too high.
All that to say, when the trailer for the live-action remake came out, I was skeptical. It looked like a frame-by-frame remake, but with awkward CGI and real people. I was honestly expecting something boring.
But damn, I was so wrong.
Yes, the movie follows the original almost shot-for-shot, but it works. In fact, it's better than I expected - maybe even better than the original. The same characters, the same events, even the same lines - but everything is executed so well, from the direction to the performances, that I couldn't stop smiling from beginning to end.
It felt like I was 13 again, back in 2016, rewatching every bit of this world I had fallen in love with.
This is truly the definition of a love letter to fans.
YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT.
- jlukssabino-38675
- Jun 24, 2025