AustinOswald

Obviously, when discussing remakes of any kind, the topic can get a bit hairy. There are those that believe remakes are an attempt to replace the original film. Then, there are those, myself included, that believe remakes are simply meant to pay tribute to and introduce the franchise to a new audience that may not be as familiar with it.

No matter how you look at it, when you have a franchise with a cult following of devoted fans, especially those as intensely loyal as 'How To Train Your Dragon' fans, one starts to hold their breath hoping that the remake won't disappoint.

This film is a great example of a remake that does justice in paying tribute to the original source material as well as introducing a few new scenes and lines of dialogue to help build further background. While no remake is perfect, this film does its absolute best to maintain the charm and appeal of its predecessor. That being said, there are always personal preferences that come about when reviewing a film.

In the case of this remake, I wish the acting, especially involving some of the smaller background characters, was more finely tuned. The pacing of the overall story was just fine, but I wish the director and/or editors allowed more time for these side characters to shine and their quippy jokes to be heard.

Say what you will about the casting for these characters, but I think they were all fine choices. The only exception being that Mason Thames might've been a bit too handsome to play Hiccup.

I absolutely loved seeing Gerard Butler reprise his role as Stoick! His intense yet sportive nature brought so much color to the film. Nick Frost (Gobber), Julian Dennison (Fishlegs), and Gabriel Howell (Snotlout) were also standouts. They gave a whole new life to their characters without shying away from their intended personalities.

As for the overall look of the film, there were times where I felt the green screen could have been blended better with the subject. However, the sets and sweeping landscape shots were incredibly picturesque and gorgeous, so I must compliment the location scouting team.

The CGI team also did phenomenal! The dragons all looked so hyper realistic that, at times, I found myself questioning if the dragons were real, only to remember that dragons don't actually exist. This, as well as the revamped musical score, were the highlights of this film for me.

As a massive fan of this franchise, seeing this reimagining do justice to the original filled me with immense pride and satisfaction. While it did not best the original, it was a respectable tribute.

Hit Man was such an interesting and welcomed departure from the projects usually led by director, Richard Linklater. It's the kind of story that, much like Edgar Wright's Baby Driver or Shaun of the Dead, would've made for a mediocre movie if directed by an amateur, but made for a great movie because it was directed by an experienced industry professional. All Linklater films are good films.

This film keeps you guessing from beginning to end and tells its story in a way that makes the audience feel like they are learning and growing along with the characters. A great example of this is when the film periodically cuts back to Glen Powell's character, Gary Johnson, lecturing students on the everyday behaviors of people. Gary casually and subtly uses his experience as an undercover investigator as the building blocks for these lessons. By doing this, Gary is also introducing and breaking down the overarching themes of the film. It truly is brilliant storytelling.

There will never be enough words to properly commend the actors in this film. They brought so much life and enthusiasm to their characters in constant battle between show stealers. In this battle, there were no winners or losers. The acting was balanced and cast members complimented their costars exquisitely.

Linklater and Powell's writing was entertaining, truly comedic, well paced, and extremely thoughtful. It is definitely a must see for film buffs searching for depth and those just looking for a fun surface-level comedy. It does both properly in all respects.