DreamWorks was in a weird spot in 2010. They were the "Shrek" studio—known for snark, pop-culture references, and celebrity voices that sometimes felt more like marketing stunts than actual performances. Then came a scrawny kid named Hiccup and a sleek, jet-black dragon named Toothless. It changed everything. Honestly, looking back at this how to train your dragon movie review lens, it’s wild how much this film shifted the DNA of modern animation. It wasn't just another talking animal flick; it was a masterclass in visual storytelling and world-building that felt gritty, grounded, and surprisingly emotional.
The premise is deceptively simple. On the island of Berk, Vikings kill dragons. It’s their hobby, their job, and their entire personality. Hiccup, the son of the village chief Stoick the Vast, is... well, he’s a disaster. He’s thin, clumsy, and thinks too much. When he finally catches the most elusive dragon of all—the Night Fury—he can’t bring himself to kill it. What follows is a slow-burn friendship that challenges every prejudice his society holds.
The Visuals Still Hold Up (And It’s Not Just Nostalgia)
Most 3D animated movies from 15 years ago look like plastic toys now. You’ve seen them—the flat textures and stiff hair that make you wince. But How to Train Your Dragon feels different. Why? Because the directors, Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, brought in legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins as a visual consultant. Deakins is the guy behind Blade Runner 2049 and 1917. He taught the animators how to use light like a real camera operator would.
You see it in the "Forbidden Cove" scenes. The way the light filters through the trees isn't just bright; it's dappled and moody. There's a tangible atmosphere. The fire isn't just a glowing orange blob; it has sparks, smoke, and heat distortion. When Toothless and Hiccup take their first real flight together—the "Test Drive" sequence—the sense of scale is dizzying. The clouds look heavy. The wind feels cold. It’s immersive in a way that very few films, even today, manage to achieve.
The dragon designs themselves are a stroke of genius. Instead of going for the generic lizard-look, the designers pulled from the animal kingdom. Toothless is a mix of a black panther, a bat, and a salamander. His behavior is incredibly cat-like, which makes him instantly relatable to anyone who has ever owned a pet. He doesn't speak. He doesn't crack jokes. He communicates through purrs, dilated pupils, and body language. It's pure cinema.
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A Story About Disability and Growth
One thing people often forget when discussing a how to train your dragon movie review is how revolutionary the ending was. In 2010, family movies usually ended with everything being "fixed." The hero wins, the curse is lifted, and everyone is whole again.
Not here.
Hiccup loses a limb. It’s a bold, heavy choice for a "kids' movie." By the end of the film, both Hiccup and Toothless are physically incomplete—Toothless is missing a tail fin, and Hiccup is missing part of his leg. They need each other to fly. They aren't "fixed" by magic; they adapt and become stronger because of their scars. This level of nuance is why the movie resonates with adults just as much as kids. It’s a story about the cost of war and the reality of living with permanent change.
The relationship between Hiccup and his father, Stoick (voiced by Gerard Butler), is also heartbreakingly real. Stoick isn't a villain. He’s a man who loves his son but doesn't have the tools to understand him. Their conversations are awkward and strained. You can feel the weight of generations of Viking tradition pressing down on them. When Stoick finally tells Hiccup, "I'm proud to call you my son," it isn't unearned. It's a moment built on failure and reconciliation.
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The Secret Weapon: John Powell’s Score
We need to talk about the music. Seriously. If you strip away John Powell’s score, the movie loses half its heart. Powell moved away from the standard orchestral swells and leaned into Celtic influences, bagpipes, and frantic percussion.
The track "Romantic Flight" is arguably one of the best pieces of film music in the last twenty years. It starts with a simple, fluttering motif and builds into something majestic that perfectly captures the feeling of soaring through the air. The music does the heavy lifting for the dialogue. It tells you exactly how Hiccup is feeling when he’s too scared to say it out loud. It’s the kind of soundtrack that stays in your head long after the credits roll.
Why Berk Matters in 2026
Is it perfect? Nothing is. Some of the secondary characters—the other Viking teens—feel a bit like tropes. Snotlout is the jerk, Tuffnut and Ruffnut are the comic relief, and Fishlegs is the nerd. They get more development in the sequels and the TV shows, but in this first movie, they’re mostly there to fill out the background. However, Astrid stands out. She’s not just a "love interest." She’s the best warrior in the village, and her shift from Hiccup’s rival to his confidante is handled with actual respect.
The pacing is also incredibly tight. At 98 minutes, it doesn't waste a second. It moves from the introductory dragon raid to the final battle against the Red Death with a mechanical precision that keeps you hooked.
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If you’re revisiting this for a rewatch or seeing it for the first time, pay attention to the silence. In an era where animated movies are often filled with constant noise and "minion-esque" screaming, How to Train Your Dragon isn't afraid to let a scene breathe. The moments where Hiccup is just sitting with Toothless, trying to figure out how a saddle works, are the backbone of the entire franchise.
Your Next Steps for the Ultimate Rewatch
If this how to train your dragon movie review has you itching to return to Berk, don't just stop at the first movie. To get the most out of the experience, follow this path:
- Watch the "Gift of the Night Fury" short: It’s a holiday special, but it’s actually canon and deals with the idea of dragons having their own agency.
- Check out the "Race to the Edge" series: If you want to see how the world expands between the first and second movies, this Netflix series (originally on Cartoon Network/DreamWorks) adds a ton of lore about different dragon species.
- Listen to the score on high-quality headphones: Seriously, listen to "Forbidden Friendship" or "Test Drive" without the movie playing. You’ll hear layers of instrumentation you missed during the action scenes.
- Compare it to the books: Cressida Cowell’s original book series is wildly different—Toothless is tiny and talks—but it’s a fascinating look at how a studio can take a basic concept and transform it into a cinematic epic.
The legacy of this film isn't just the sequels or the upcoming live-action remake. It’s the fact that it proved animation can be mature, beautiful, and profoundly moving without losing its sense of wonder. Berk is a place where we learn that the things we fear are often just the things we don't understand yet. And that's a lesson that never gets old.