India, June 15 -- Director Dean DeBlois returns 15 years after the release of How to Train Your Dragon to adapt it for a new generation. In a dragon-ravaged Viking village, a misfit teen named Hiccup (Mason Thames) befriends a feared beast called Toothless, challenging his tribe's beliefs and his father's legacy. Joining Mason is Nico Parker as Astrid, a tough Viking with a soft side. Gerard Butler reprises his voice role as Stoick, while Nick Frost's Gobber adds comic relief. Dean brings a deep affection for his characters that translates well into a heart-rending story. Mason brings Hiccup's insecurity and conviction to life with a sincerity that carries the film. Nico brings a grounded presence to Astrid, while Gerard remains commanding. The flight scenes - especially a mid-film cloud-soaring sequence - recapture some of the original's wonder, even if they lack its balletic grace. John Powell's updated score does much of the emotional heavy lifting. The visual charm of Berk's stylised landscapes is dulled in live-action by heavy CGI and uninspired lighting. The animated dragons feel adrift, lacking seamless integration with the real world. An over-reliance on shot-for-shot recreation feels redundant, with animated-style humour falling flat in live action. Though side characters like Gothi, Snotlout, and Spitelout get more screen time, the additions feel like a filler. This live-action How to Train Your Dragon is earnest and competent, but rarely inspired. It follows the blueprint so closely that it feels more like a live-action tribute than a reinterpretation. Still, at the core of the story remains the bond between a boy and his dragon, and that, thankfully, is hard to mess up. The film may not soar, but it glides with enough heart to stay aloft....