Another live action remake hot on the heels of Lilo & Stitch. I really wasn’t sure how this one was going to turn out. I was right to be apprehensive. It’s a good remake – the live action part is well done, the CGI of the dragons is amazing but something about the whole thing is just a little bit too dark. I mean this visually as well as metaphorically. I missed a lot of the dialogue in the opening scenes, it was all very loud and dark. I hadn’t read much about this remake and I don’t know how many of the other films are planned for this reimagining. I hope they inject a little more lightness into any future films.

Hiccup was as I remembered him and of course Toothless is a wonderful recreation, almost indistinguishable from the original, about which I am glad. I love Toothless and I would have hated for them to have lost anything about his character in this version, but it was all there. The flying scenes where they finally bond and just click together were lovely.

I feel like this was a little bit too grown up compared to the original, it felt like it had lost a little of the innocence and lightness but nevertheless I enjoyed it. The dragons were brilliant and the story was well told. It has made me want to go back and watch the animated versions again so I’m ready for any sequels.

7/10