This live-action adaption of the underdog adventure story sends the audience cascading through the clouds with the teenage Viking boy Hiccup and his dragon friend Toothless. It’s the kind of immersive sensation and giddy wish fulfillment that might just have you forgetting momentarily to breathe and, maybe more importantly, that you’re still in a movie theater. Credit to veteran cinematographer Bill Pope, no stranger to fantasy worlds, whether it’s “The Matrix” or “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.”

“How to Train Your Dragon” doesn’t stray far from the original, from shots to story beats. Gerard Butler once again plays Berk’s Chief Stoick the Vast. The new Hiccup, actor Mason Thames, even sounds a bit like Jay Baruchel. But unlike so many live-action remakes of animated films, it also doesn’t feel superfluous, or, worse, like a poor imitation of its predecessor that trades the magic of animation for photorealism.

Perhaps that’s because filmmaker Dean DeBlois, who made the three animated films, stayed in the director’s chair. Who better to kill their darlings than the one who brought them to the screen in the first place? And, crucially, to know where live-action might actually enhance the fabric of the world created by author Cressida Cowell.

It helps that dragon technology has come a long way since, say, “DragonHeart.” These fire-breathing CG creatures feel disarmingly real. And though it might look like “Lord of the Rings” or “Game of Thrones,” the tone stays light enough for younger filmgoers. There are a few intense sequences, but none that takes it any further than the animated film did 15 years ago.

“How to Train Your Dragon” does start a little slow, however, which is odd because it also begins with a fiery battle between the Vikings and the dragons on the Isle of Berk. There’s a lot of exposition and introduction that needs to happen before you can just give yourself over to the story. In this more multicultural version, the warriors on Berk have been recruited from tribes around the globe to try to defeat the dragons.

Hiccup is a Viking nepo baby. As the chief’s son, he sits in a place of privilege, but he’s also a general outcast in this world of ruthless warriors — skinny and weak, he just longs to be part of the action, not sharpening the weapons. Killing dragons is currency in this society, and his crush Astrid happens to be one of the most promising up-and-comers. His sole champion is Gobber , the blacksmith and dragon slayer teacher, who convinces the chief to give the clever Hiccup a shot.

The film finds its internal engine when Hiccup finds Toothless, the wide-eyed “Night Fury” dragon whom he can’t bring himself to kill. Instead, he decides to study this discovery, who he finds is not as nearly fearsome as everyone assumes. “How to Train Your Dragon” teaches empathy and ingenuity without a sermon.

Thames, a teenager himself, is the perfect embodiment of adolescent awkwardness and boldness. You can have all the cute dragons you want, but the audience would be lost if the human conduit to the relationship isn’t up to the task. Butler seems to be having a good time, resplendent in fur and chest-thumping ideas about ancient duties. And Parker gives Astrid a relatable depth — the best in the bunch who is outshone in an unequal fight.

Kids deserve movies that are made on the biggest possible canvas. “How to Train Your Dragon” is one that’s worth the trip to the theater. It might just spark some young imaginations, whether it’s to go back and read the books or dream up their own worlds. And, chances are, no one is going to be yelling “chicken jockey.”

“How to Train Your Dragon,” a Universal Pictures release in theaters Friday, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for “sequences of intense action and peril.” Running time: 125 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

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The first reviews for the F1 movie starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris are starting to roll in ahead of its worldwide release later this month.

While it’s unlikely to have the sort of impact on the sport’s popularity that Netflix docu-series Drive to Survive has – after all, it’s not like fans are going to be able to see Pitt’s Sonny Hayes on-track week-in, week-out – the action shots and presence of a number of real life F1 stars should help it pack a punch.

Lewis Hamilton was attached to the film in an oversight role as an executive producer to help get the details of the sport as close to real life as possible, with the trailers showing some incredible onboard shots.

F1 drivers and personnel were treated to a private screening of the finished movie ahead of last month’s Monaco Grand Prix, and now, a number of critics have cast their verdict, with reviews so far rather positive.

READ MORE: Monaco Grand Prix winner Lando Norris offers verdict on future Indy 500 attempt

F1 movie reviews

Variety’s Jazz Tangcay tweeted after a screening: “WOW! [The F1 movie] is an action-packed thrilling look at the world of F1 racing, with lots of grit. The sound, score and cinematography are flawless. Damson Idris and Brad Pitt are great! Absolutely Obsessedddddd”

Meanwhile, the magazine’s awards editor Clayton Davis added: “F1 the Movie is the Jerry and Joe Show! Bruckheimer and Kosinski really do make audacious entertainment together. Academy…don’t do Claudio Miranda dirty again on this one. Brad Pitt and Damson Idris shine brightest when sharing the screen. Race to see this one in IMAX.”

The film was also compared to Joseph Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer’s 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, one of the biggest cinematic success stories since cinemas reopened following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Erik Davis of Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes wrote on social media: “Joseph Kosinski’s F1 the Movie hits the gas and doesn’t stop. The races are epic, the sound design, editing, cinematography, performances and music are all top notch. You definitely feel shades of Top Gun: Maverick in that it plays like an old school summer blockbuster. What a ride.”

F1 will be released worldwide on 25 June.

READ MORE: Max Verstappen hit with huge F1 penalty after ridiculous crash

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MOVIE REVIEW: “KARATE KID: LEGENDS”
Grade: C

I really hate to be “that guy” but Karate Kid: Legends didn’t leave much of an impression. And I say this as a big fan of both Cobra Kai and the first two films in the franchise. That said, Sony Pictures is to be commended for releasing this in such close proximity to the Cobra Kai series finale. It’s clear that they wanted to strike while the iron was hot and that was probably a smart move on their part.

As Karate Kid: Legends opens, we’re treated to a brief scene from 1986’s Karate Kid Part II. Not only does this nostalgic moment give us a little of that much-missed Miyagi magic, but it also sort of retcons the idea that 2010’s Karate Kid was a reboot.  This is to say that this scene establishes that Mr. Han (once again played by the icon who is Jackie Chan) is actually part of the original Karate Kid universe and not just a new version of Miyagi (played by the late, great Pat Morita.)

Immediately following this 1986 flashback, we meet young Li Fong (winningly played by newcomer Ben Wang, soon to be seen in the upcoming Stephen King adaptation of The Long Walk as well as the next chapter in the Hunger Games franchise), a Kung Fu student who practices under the leadership of Mr. Han against his stern mother’s wishes. While angry about the situation (for a very specific reason), Li’s mom (played by Ming-Na Wen) won’t have to worry about that much longer as she and her son will soon be moving to the U.S. where she’s to take on a position at a hospital in the big city (fitting given that Wen first rose to prominence on the hit t.v. series E.R.)

Upon moving to New York, Li finds himself in a tough transitional period as he has to adjust to an entire new way of life. Things look up, however, when he meets Mia (warmly played by Sadie Stanley) but then, things quickly take a turn for the worse when he discovers that her ex-boyfriend Conor (played by Aramis Knight) is, you guessed it, a bully well versed in the way of Karate.  So, Li will ultimately need a very special trainer in an effort to prepare for a big upcoming tournament, and he’ll ultimately get that training courtesy of Mr. Han through the assistance of a beloved Karate Kid legacy character known as Daniel LaRusso (played by the forever young Ralph Macchio.)

As directed by Jonathan Entwistle, Legends is harmless enough and it’s certainly well-intentioned but…What a formulaic, disjointed, and often strange entry in The Karate Kid franchise this is. How strange? There’s a subplot that finds Li actually training Mia’s father (charmingly played by Joshua Jackson) in the hope that the proud papa can win a boxing match and get out of debt with a dangerous loan shark. The time dedicated to this seemingly bizarre and unnecessary plot thread certainly could have been put to better use.

Karate Kid: Legends is rushed, too. How rushed? Well, putting it into perspective, there’s a stretch in this film that finds Mr. Han flying from Beijing to New York, making a mess of a family member’s kitchen, flying to Southern California to meet with LaRusso (for whatever reason, he couldn’t just pick up the phone), and then flying back to New York. This all happens in a span of, maybe, 10 minutes.

It should also be noted that Karate Kid: Legends comes in at an uncharacteristically short 94 minutes. Not that there’s anything wrong with a brief run time, but it hurts this movie severely because there’s little to no character development. Again, everything happens at a very quick clip and as an end result, things that should resonate (for example, the tragic reason behind Li’s PTSD) feel more like an afterthought. This is to say nothing of the fact that Daniel LaRusso doesn’t even show up until the second half of the movie and once he does show up, he almost feels shoe-horned in.

What’s more, as a sports underdog movie, Karate Kid: Legends isn’t as rousing as one might hope. Yes, there’s a fight choreography upgrade here (watch as Li successfully takes on 3 full grown baddies in an alley even though, for whatever reason, he can’t rise up to the school bully who manages to beat him with two hands tied behind his back), Legends is void of the kind of “stand up and cheer” moments viewers expect from these movies. Even the big tournament sequence at the end of the film falls flat. That said, this is by no fault of Wang. And in fact, this new-to-the-scene actor is incredibly engaging as are Chan, Jackson, and Stanley. Speaking of engaging, if you do go to see this film, be sure to stick around for a bonus credits scene that adds a brief but much-welcome layer of joy to the proceedings, courtesy of a familiar face.

In terms of where Karate Kid: Legends sits amongst the other entries in the series, it’s not in the same league as the original, Part II or Cobra Kai nor does it have the emotional weight of the virtually forgotten 2010 film. That said, it’s just a tad stronger than both Part III  and The Next Karate Kid mostly because the cast does manage to bring the likability factor. This is to say that while this isn’t the “worst” film in the franchise, it’s certainly the strangest in terms of structure and pace. And quite honestly, at times, it has an energy more akin to something like Diary of a Wimpy Kid as opposed to The Karate Kid.

As I close out this review, one thing that Karate Kid Part III actually has going for it all these years later is that it was somewhat re-contextualized by the events that took place in Cobra Kai making it a much more interesting watch now than it was when it was initially released back in 1989. Here’s hoping that Karate Kid: Legends is re-contextualized in the future because as it stands, despite a charming cast and its wholesome nature, it’s not the best around.