Dragon Rider is a 2020 animated fantasy-adventure film based on the novel of the same name. Starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Firedrake, Felicity Jones as Sorrell, Freddie Highmore as Ben and Patrick Stewart as Nettlebrand.
A young Silver Dragon on a quest to prove his worth to the older generation, a forest brownie, and an orphaned human boy travel across the world to the Himalayas to find the mysterious dragon haven known as the “Rim of Heaven.” Meanwhile, they are being pursued by a dragon-like monster on his own quest to hunt down and destroy every dragon on Earth.
Not to be confused with the 1995 Japanese OVA of the same name or the similarly named and themed Dragons: Riders of Berk; an Interquel series set in the How to Train Your Dragon universe.
This film contains the following tropes:
- Adaptational Villainy: During a traveling montage the main characters are briefly seen fleeing from an attacking Sea Serpent, in the novel the serpent was actually intelligent and friendly, aiding the main characters on their journey and revealing that she and her sister actually saved the dragons from Nettlebrand many years ago.
- Always a Bigger Fish: The dragons were the most powerful creatures in the world until Nettlebrand, a metal draconic monster immune to dragon-fire, was created however by the end this is subverted when Firedrake manages to destroy Nettlebrand.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Ben lost his parents to a car crash.
- Dies Differently in Adaptation: Nettlebrand’s death differs somewhat from the original novel, in the novel the combination of Brownie spit and dragon-fire that effects Nettlebrand’s armor, in the film it’s simply explained by a prophecy that says that once the Rim of heaven is found Silver is worth more than gold (the gold Nettlebrand who was formerly immune to dragon fire is now able to be melted by the fire of a silver dragon).
- Dragon Rider: Firedrake believes Ben is this.
- Glowing Eyes: Firedrake's eyes glow when he uses his Breath Weapon. Likewise, Ben's eyes glow when he, Firedrake, and Sorrel travel from the Punjab village to the Rim of Heaven.
- Happily Adopted: Ben gets adopted by the professor and his family at the end of the film.
- Magic Feather: Firedrake believes he can breath fire only when Ben is on his back. By the end, he realizes that he doesn’t and gains the self-confidence to defeat Nettlebrand.
- Market-Based Title: Was retitled Firedrake the Silver Dragon for its US release.
- Mechanical Monster: The Steampunk inspired monster Nettlebrand.
- Shout-Out:
- Firedrake and Sorrel first meet Ben near a poster of a movie called How to Tame Your Dragon.
- The mermaid shown on the map during the Travel Montage has red hair.
- While fleeing from Nettlebrand in the Himalayas, Sorrel takes pause at a frozen squirrel appearing to chase an equally-frozen acorn or nut.
- Turned Against Their Masters: In the opening monologue, it is explained how an alchemist created Nettlebrand, who then ate his creator.
