Soaring Beyond Expectations: My Honest Thoughts on How to Train Your Dragon (2025)

As someone who’s spent a lifetime chasing stories on the big screen, certain films leave more than just a mark — they carve a memory. How to Train Your Dragon did exactly that when it first graced cinemas over a decade ago. It wasn’t just an animated film; it was a soaring, heartfelt experience that reminded audiences of the wonder we once believed in as children.

When DreamWorks announced a new chapter for 2025, I felt a blend of excitement and unease. The trilogy had ended beautifully. Did we really need to return to Berk? After finally watching it, I can confidently say — yes, we did.

A New Hero, a Familiar Sky

This time, the skies belong to Freya, daughter of Hiccup and Astrid. I admit, I approached her introduction with skepticism. Could anyone match the soulful connection Hiccup shared with Toothless? Surprisingly, Freya isn’t a replacement; she’s her own force entirely. Bold, impulsive, and refreshingly flawed, she carries the weight of heritage while stubbornly trying to forge her own path.

Her relationship with Lumen, a mesmerizing bioluminescent dragon, anchors the emotional core of the story. Their bond isn’t instantaneous or easy, which makes it all the more rewarding. It echoes the spirit of the original while standing firmly on its own.

Visual Storytelling at Its Peak

From its very first scene, the film establishes its visual prowess. DreamWorks has always excelled in animation, but this installment feels like a leap forward. The skies of Berk shimmer with ethereal light, while new territories brim with imagination and atmospheric detail.

Lumen’s design is particularly striking — patterns of glowing, shifting color ripple across his scales, creating visual poetry in every movement. Flight sequences dazzle not just with speed, but with grace and grandeur, making even familiar skies feel newly discovered.

A Score That Stirs the Spirit

John Powell’s return as composer was an announcement that thrilled long-time fans, and he does not disappoint. The new themes are both haunting and uplifting, threading seamlessly through moments of joy, danger, and quiet reflection. The orchestration during the climactic storm scene might be one of the most exhilarating pieces of film scoring this year.

Narrative Strengths and Minor Stumbles

Where the film shines brightest is in its handling of legacy. It doesn’t ignore the past, nor does it rely on it as a crutch. Hiccup and Toothless make appearances, but wisely remain on the periphery, offering guidance rather than steering the plot. This is Freya’s story, and the narrative respects that.

However, the film isn’t without flaws. Some of the secondary characters introduced alongside Freya feel thinly sketched, existing more to populate scenes than to leave an impression. A couple of nostalgic nods border on predictable, and while the final confrontation delivers spectacle, its resolution leans too heavily on convenience rather than earned strategy.

Final Reflections

Despite these minor shortcomings, How to Train Your Dragon (2025) succeeds where it matters. It recaptures the awe and heart of the original trilogy while opening new doors for future adventures. It reminds us that the world — both on screen and in our imaginations — still holds places we’ve yet to discover.

As a lifelong film lover, this sequel left me satisfied, occasionally misty-eyed, and most importantly, hopeful. Hopeful that stories like this will continue to find their way to the big screen, and that audiences of all ages will gather to dream together, just as we did when we first met a scrawny Viking and his Night Fury