Thursday, December 15

Movie Review: Dragonball Evolution




Length: 100 mins (uncut version)
Released: April 10, 2009 (USA)
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Rating: PG; intense sequences of action/violence and brief mild language

Directed By: James Wong
Where I Got It: Borrowed it from Library


This is a remake of the famous Dragonball series. It follows Goku as a seventeen year old kid living with  his Grandpa, who obviously adopted Goku (the grandpa is Japanese and Goku is a white kid). Grandpa is training Goku how to fight and how to use his chi energy. Grandpa tells Goku about the dragonballs (he even gives him one). At the same time the evil warlord Piccolo is on a search for the dragonballs, so he can take over the universe.

There's few familar faces in this film. As Goku is Justin Chatwin (LOST, War of the World), Yun-Fate Chow (Curse of the Golden Flower) as Master Roshi, Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera, The Day After Tomorrow) as Bulma, James Marsters (PS I Love You, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Lord Piccolo, and Randall Duk Kim (Kung Fu Panda, The Matrix Reloaded, Anna and the King) as Grandpa Gohan.


Before I popped the movie into the DVD player, I made a vow to try to not compare ANYTHING in this movie to my beloved DB/DBZ anime show. I will admit...I did slip off the path a lot, but I think I tried my hardest to give this movie a chance with an empty brain. I'm proud of myself.

Okay...one of the biggest complaints that I've heard and read about was that Goku was played by a white boy. The fact that he was white didn't bug me. The thing that bugged me was that he only made due as Goku. He wasn't great, he wasn't horrid. I felt like he was just there. Maybe he should have played Krillin (har har). He didn't play Goku the way he was meant to be played.

Another complaint floating around is the fact that they have Goku in High School. When comparing between the anime to this, yes, I was very flabbergasted and mad! However, when not comparing, I felt like it was an interesting twist to the story. I felt like it added to the story. Personally, though, if I was screenwriting I would have avoided that story cliche and stuck more to the original story. It was a nice attempt, but it fell flat.

Not only did the High School bit fall flat but I felt like the dialogue and a lot of the acting died on camera too. I will give credit to those who played Bulma, Master Roshi, Piccolo, and Chi Chi, they were pretty good. However...the others...no. I'm not sure if it was the acting or just the dialogue writing or both. It just didn't work.

I really liked the special effects and the costumes. I thought the special effects were pretty cool and I felt like they were real. Like the Dragon; he was the coolest thing! I also liked the costumes, which embodied what were drawn in the anime. I especially liked Bulma's outfits and hairstyle. I wish I could get those in my size and prance around in them when I go out and about. Maybe I'll be Bulma for Halloween! ^.^



Yes, I will admit that this was a "shining piece of [poop]", buuuut I was entertained. It was like a car accident. I couldn't help but watch every single minute of it. I even put it on pause when I went to get another drink and another handful of m&ms. I would tell other DB/DBZ fans to avoid this unless they were like me and tried to avoid comparing the original with this. Come into this movie with an open-mind and you'll be entertained. You'll be highly disappointed, but entertained. Out of five stars, I have no choice but to give this 2 stars. Okay...I confess...I want the sequel to come out so I can see Vegeta and Trunks. Haha. I'm pathetic, I know.

Would I re-watch?: 
Nope. 


Favorite Character(s): Bulma and Master Roshi (he cracked me up)
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Goku 
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<3CaroleRae


5 comments:

Lisa said...

Sometimes my favorite movies are the ones that are so entertaining but other people find weird or boring.

Blodeuedd said...

Yes it was pretty crappy but it was still DBZ ;D

Carole Rae said...

Lisa, same here. lol. Sometimes I like my movies void of explosions and etc. Boring and weird can be a good thing.

Blodeuedd, yeah...it was crap but you're right...it was still DBZ. ^.^

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