How to Train Your Dragon review: How to nail a remake
Aside from the fact that these outings are tired, barrel-scraping facsimiles of animated classics, ones that never asked to be produced in the first place, they often simply don't work as concepts.
A cartoon crab singing a calypso song is cute. An actual crab doing so is weird and unsettling. Cartoon lions and meerkats cavorting in the Savannah is fun and compelling. Anatomically precise fauna doing so looks like a David Attenborough documentary during a bad trip.
With the Snow White retread earlier this year, the response from critics and viewers was so galling that the media circus surrounding the film paled in comparison.
The casting, the reconfigured politics, the unnecessary tweaks to the plot, the hideous CGI dwarves – everything about it was a miscue.
If anything was to spell the death knell of the live-action remake, Snow White was it. And yet, just a few months later, one has arrived that persuasively argues a stay of execution.
DreamWorks – not Disney, tellingly – scored a hit in 2010 with How to Train Your Dragon, an impeccable blend of medieval fantasy and action-adventure for younger constitutions.
Inspired by Cressida Cowell's books, it told of a Viking boy who ends generations of enmity with marauding dragons when he forms a bond with an injured fire-breather.
It was smart and witty, filled with marvellous names like 'Snotlout' and 'Gobber the Belch'. Children were helplessly rapt by the sight of a mounted dragon swooping and diving.
In the relationship between young Hiccup and cat-like dragon Toothless, meanwhile, the entire franchise was imbued with an irresistible sweet-centre. Best Animated Oscar nominations greeted all three instalments.
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Franchise linchpin Dean DeBlois – who co-directed that first chapter with Chris Sanders – writes, directs and produces this live-action revisit, with the handsome coast of Ulster ably filling in for the Isle of Berk.
Hiccup (Mason Thames) is inventive and determined but hasn't the warrior chops to win the pride of chieftain father Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his role from the animated voice cast).
In a full-throttle intro, the dragons have raided the livestock and Stoick is baying for blood. During that skirmish, Hiccup trialled a new weapon that ended up scuppering a much-feared dragon, the mysterious Night Fury.
When he tracks down the beast with the intention of dispatching it and winning favour with Stoick, mercy wins over and a trust is established with the injured creature, who he names Toothless.
It gives Hiccup an edge as he and a hodge-podge of young recruits are put through their paces as trainee dragon-slayers (tutored by Nick Frost's droll amputee).
The trainees come in all shapes and sizes, but the star of the show is Astrid (Nico Parker), a fierce warrioress who Hiccup knows is way out of his league.
As they are pitted against a selection of various dragon sub-categories, however, Hiccup wields some of the insider know-how gleaned from time spent with Toothless and his stock value rises.
All the while, he's getting closer and closer to taking flight with his new dragon friend, a feat unthinkable among his community.
Tart enough for adults, bold enough for young ones, and tempering elaborate action sequences with succinct passages of character development, you could do a lot worse than bring your own small monsters to this.
Our seven-year-old has a low threshold for jeopardy, but the thrills kept a balance of fun amid the high stakes, which suited him down to the ground. Top Gun for kids, with dragons, if you will.
Frost is commander-in-chief of the comedy relief, but the big cast revelation – and these are not words I pictured myself ever uttering in these pages – was Butler.
Often consigned to something of a schlocky punchline in genre cinema, the bulging Scot does the right thing and hits the 'caps lock' button as the snarling but paternal Viking lord.
By seamlessly flipping a one-time animated role into the live-action arena, he sums up so much of what this film gets right.
Four stars
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The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I visited UK's largest Viking festival with fierce battle re-enactments, fire dancing and walking on hot coals
WITH an almighty roar, a war-painted Viking swings an axe above his head and a shield maiden takes the ultimate test of courage – shattering an arrow with her neck. Meanwhile, several people are preparing to march across hot coals to show their allegiance to Odin and the Norse gods. Advertisement 8 While some Valhalla attendees used Vinted and the internet to get costumes, other raiders have hand-made them Credit: Stewart Williams 8 A fireshow leads the way to the symbolic burning, and offerings are placed into the miniature version of a Viking longboat Credit: Stewart Williams 8 Fire dancers the Ravens of Ragnorrock Credit: Stewart Williams But in their daily life, these warriors are actually income recovery specialists from Eastleigh, Hants, and a medical researcher from Cheshire. For the weekend they have shed the shackles of normal life to become Viking warriors. Medical researcher Andy Thurstan, 48, told The Sun: 'I saw the festival online and thought it looked like great fun. One thing led to another and suddenly I'm here in full Viking dress wearing proper Icelandic sheep's wool around my neck. 'It's a nice escape from normal life, and despite the reputation of Northmen, everyone is really friendly.' Advertisement READ MORE ON VIKINGS Welcome to the UK's largest Viking festival, Valhalla, now in its fifth year, which attracts 5,000 people to Drummer Down Farm in Basingstoke, Hants, for a weekend of boozing, fight training and connecting with the old Norse gods. Andy and pal Ken Hurley, 42, a caterer from Cheshire, have driven down for the 72-hour event, which offers everything from fierce battle reenactments to willow weaving. The pair amble off to get themselves some mead, with wooden axes attached to their backs and swords strapped to their hips. 'The bones are from a KFC we had a few weeks ago' While some attendees used Vinted and the internet to get costumes, other raiders have made them by hand. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Latest Latest Among the latter camp are Simon Jones and Helen Jones, both 54, who have upped the ante for their third year at the historical extravaganza. The curse of the Herefordshire Hoard - £12m of Viking gold Among the latter camp are Simon Jones and Helen Jones, both 54, who have upped the ante for their third year at the historical extravaganza. Simon, from Bath, said: 'We've made our costumes. Some of the bones Helen is wearing are from a KFC we had a few weeks ago. Can't waste anything! 'Coming here is such a great experience. As a kid I used to go to Durdle Door Beach to make massive fires and cook meat. Advertisement 'Here we can do that again with the loveliest people. 'Plus I can wave my axe when I want more ale during the feast.' On Friday, the Vikings were welcomed with a special ceremony in the woodlands where all the different Norse gods blessed the festival. 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Mental health worker Debbie, from Battle, East Sussex, told The Sun: 'This is my first time at the festival in this little fantasy world and I'm loving it. 'We've had our runes read and every single stall we've been to is really passionate about the craft they are showcasing or teaching. 'It's a weekend where you can just lose yourself.' Advertisement Support worker Vicki has met up with a friend she made here last year, Portuguese bar worker Adriana Ribeiro, 35. She said: 'It's so lovely that you make friends that you can meet up with year after year and it never feels like any time has passed.' Just behind the ladies, a queue is forming for the To the right, screams ring out as wannabe Vikings hurl an axe at a target with all the strength they can muster. Many miss the target, and those that hit it struggle to throw it hard enough for it to stay embedded. Advertisement But the main attraction for many who have flown or driven to the event is the firewalking session, which trains participants to place their bare feet on hot coals. John Young, 56, is a fifth-generation Northumbria farmer who discovered firewalking at a low point in his life — and claims it helped him heal. Now, as an instructor, he brings the skill to other people to help them overcome their fears. Before being able to walk the burning embers, those taking part are taught how to break an arrow by just stepping forward. Advertisement The bolt is placed tip first into the participant's neck, the end held in place with a wooden board. The warrior then takes two breaths and on the third steps forward causing the arrow to shatter. 'It's a chance to let go of the modern world' Income recovery specialist Chrissie Blomley, 35, from Eastleigh, said: 'I didn't think I'd be able to do it. 'But I told myself 'f*** it' and stepped forward. 'Valhalla has been the best day out I've ever been on. It's so refreshing to see people being themselves. I've made friends for life today.' Advertisement Fellow arrow-breaker Lee Byrne, 52, from Gosport, Hants, said: 'You can feel the pressure from the tip of the arrow in your neck, but snapping it feels amazing when you take that step forward.' Once the bolt has been shattered, it is time to trot over the glowing coals — and many people who walked the fire claimed they barely felt the heat. For those who aren't ready to put their life — or their feet — on the line, they can watch others show off in the battle re-enactments which take place in the main arena. 8 Support worker Vicki, pictured right, has met up with a friend she made last year, Portuguese bar worker Adriana Ribeiro, pictured centre. 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Next year's Valhalla Festival will take place from July 24-26.
Extra.ie
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