“How to Train Your Dragon� is already a success. Since 2010, the popular animated franchise based on the book series by Cressida Cowell has scored at the box office and raked in several Oscar nominations, so naturally Universal has returned to the property, this time in live-action form � like Disney has done with their own remakes of popular animated films. With original writer/director Dean DeBlois behind the camera, this remake hews closely to the animated version, and lovingly maintains the elements that made audiences fall in love with the films in the first place.
In fact, it is a good thing that most viewers will already be somewhat familiar with the material, as the opening sequence, in which our young hero Hiccup (Mason Thames) explains the culture of his Viking village Berk � while under attack from dragons � is a bit cumbersome. Saddled with a lot of exposition introducing friends and family and Berk’s ongoing warfare with dragons, it all gets a bit muddled and clumsy under the cover of night and dragon fire.
This is a light and breezy affair with a few unexpected twists, some social commentary that doesn’t entirely land, and it might not have enough staying power for it to be truly memorable. -- Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service Read moreMovie Review: 'Clown in a Cornfield' a light, breezy slasher
This flick isn’t a masterpiece, not even a vulgar one, but it’s cheeky and entertaining enough in its giddy hyper-violence, thanks almost entirely to the star turn of Josh Hartnett, who has proven in his recent renaissance that he’s especially great in bozo mode. -- Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service Read moreMovie Review: Josh Hartnett saves 'Fight or Flight' from crash landing
This one will likely only appeal to fans of the genre who appreciate reverence and twists on this kind of material, but it’s bloody � if lightweight � fun for those who enjoy this kind of good old-fashioned romp in the woods. -- Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service Read moreMovie Review: 'Until Dawn' a gory romp in the woods
