Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Borget
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Book-based adventure has mild scares, positive messages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Firedrake the Silver Dragon
What's the Story?
In FIREDRAKE AND THE SILVER DRAGON (also known as DRAGON RIDER), audiences get to see what it's like from the dragon's perspective when their home is threatened by humans. In hiding, the dragons aren't allowed to fly or breathe fire. After hearing of a mythical paradise where dragons can live in peace, a young dragon named Firedrake (voiced by Thomas Brodie-Sangster) summons the courage to seek it out. His best friend, Sorrel (Felicity Jones), joins him, and reluctantly goes along with enlisting help from a human (Freddie Highmore) Firedrake thinks is a real dragon rider. Along the way, they discover that they're being hunted by the ancient metal dragon-eater Nettlebrand (Patrick Stewart). Together they must use teamwork, wits, and wise advice from characters they meet to travel across the world to discover the hidden dragon paradise.
Is It Any Good?
This fantasy-adventure has a fantastic vocal cast, including Felicity Jones and Patrick Stewart, which will charm many parents. The target audience will likely enjoy the colorful action sequences. Firedrake the Silver Dragon is an encouraging tale, and the messages are positive. The wise and charismatic characters like Subisha Gulab (Meera Syal) bring welcome humor and wisdom along the way and add an endearing element. While the story feels similar to other dragon movies, this one comes from a dragon's perspective in modern times, so it stands on its own. It's lacking a memorable soundtrack and some depth, which makes the film feel tailored for a younger audience. But young dragon-loving kids will likely find it delightful.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about honesty. Why do you think Ben pretended to be a dragon rider? What did he learn about what it takes to be a dragon rider by the end of the movie?
How did the dragons' opinions of humans change? Is there ever a time you thought one thing about someone when you first met them, but your mind changed the more you got to know them?
If you were going to ask the Mighty Djinn a question, but it had to be one he hasn't heard before, what would you ask? Why?
What character strengths did the main characters display? How was Firedrake different from the other dragons? How did teamwork help the characters in this movie? What were some of the character strengths of the people Firedrake, Sorrel, and Ben met in Egypt and India? How would you apply their words of wisdom, such as "You are much more than you think you are," to your life?
Did you notice a message about the environment? If so, what was it? What can we do to help take care of the environment?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 10, 2021
- Cast : Thomas Brodie-Sangster , Felicity Jones , Freddie Highmore , Patrick Stewart , Meera Syal , Sanjeev Bhaskar , Nonso Anozie
- Director : Tomer Eshed
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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