Dragonball: Evolution Review
Apr 8, 2009 by Ross MillerIs Dragonball Evolution really as terrible as it’s looked in every trailer & commercial? Find out here.
Short version: Dragonball: Evolution is a badly written film with horrible dialogue, lackluster action and a sense of fun that’s nowhere to be found.
Screen Rant’s Ross Miller reviews Dragonball: Evolution
When you head to the theater to see a movie called Dragonball: Evolution, you obviously aren’t expecting Shakespeare. From the advertising, the whole thing gives off a feeling of light, campy, action-packed fun that you would hope would allow you to just sit back, relax and turn off your brain for 90 minutes or so.
Yeah, well, that’s why we have words like “hope” as a counterpoint to “guarantee.”
Dragonball: Evolution may very well be one of the worst films of the past 12 months or so – I am actually struggling to think of the last movie I thought was quite as bad as this one was. And it’s not one of those cases where it’s just not my cup of tea… No, this is a flat-out bad movie in pretty much every area that makes up a motion picture.
Based on the popular anime series of the same (or at least similar) name, Dragonball: Evolution follows Goku (played by Justin Chatwin) who carries out his grandfather’s dying request to find Master Roshi (played by Chow Yun-Fat) and locate all seven of the powerful Dragon Balls. He already has one of them, but with the help of Bulma (played by Emmy Rossum), Master Roshi and Yamcha (played by Joon Park), he must find the others before the evil Lord Piccolo (played by James Marsters) does, whose intentions are to use them to take over the world.
Now let me just point out that I very much represent those who are not fans of the source material, and in fact know next to nothing about it. I can say without reservation that I am in the majority – if you’re a fan it may feel like everyone in the world is a fan of the cartoon, but trust me, most of the general movie-going population (who will be exposed to this through TV and other marketing) will barely even have heard of it, never mind having seen any of it.
So I then have to judge the film purely on its own merits, without having the prior knowledge to be able to compare and contrast it with the source material. Some fans of the cartoon may get a kick out of seeing such things as a certain costume or a hairstyle appear in some form, but as a movie this thing flat out stinks. And not even in a “yeah it was bad, but kind of fun in spite of that” kind of way – in pretty much all areas you can think of, it is awful.
The main problem with the film is the script, meaning both dialogue and the story. First off, I can’t believe how bad the dialogue was in this movie. From the very first scene in the film, which sees the movie starting off with a short back story explanation, the dialogue is painful. Near the beginning of the movie we see Goku being trained to fight by his grandpa while balancing on two ropes – and the back and forth exchange of dialogue is like something written to sound cool, but is delivered and pulled off so poorly that it’s cheesy and downright cringe-worthy.
That’s pretty much representative of the entire movie right off the bat – everything comes off as cheesy, nothing can be taken seriously, not even when Goku is supposed to be upset right after his grandfather dies (which happens within the first 10 minutes, so that’s not really a spoiler). Every time a character opens their mouth and delivers this atrocious excuse for dialogue, I felt like covering my ears and shutting my eyes in embarrassment (which I did do a handful of times, I’m not even kidding).
Well, you might be thinking “so what?” Who cares if the dialogue is bad and high on the cheese-meter? The action has to make up for that, right? Well, wrong. Actually, dead wrong. Action is the one thing that could have saved this movie from the abyss, but they even manage to muck that potential up. The action is not just mediocre or even sub-par – oh no, it’s worse than that - it’s terrible. Director James Wong clearly doesn’t know how to direct the needed action (although he seemed to do okay with Jet Li’s The One), and the attempts he makes are reminiscent of a young kid having fun in a special effects studio, just randomly pressing any of the fancy buttons on display.
They attempt to have 300-esque action scenes of things going from normal speed to slow-motion and then suddenly speeding back up to normal again. But for such a technique to be effective you have to know what you’re doing, and it’s evident from this movie that Wong doesn’t. Zack Snyder, although using it a bit too flippantly in 300, timed the slowing down thing pretty much perfectly, matching up exactly with the action on-screen and giving that extra bit of kick. But here it’s used far, far too often for no reason other than to just have it in there for the sake of it. There’s a strange sense that the movie thinks what it’s doing is cool… but “laughable” is more the accurate description.
You probably want to know how the cast did… Well unfortunately, like the rest of the movie, pretty awful. Justin Chatwin is completely miscast in the role of Goku (for some reason an American playing this character just doesn’t feel right), Emmy Rossum is hot but nonetheless terrible as Bulma, and I feel embarrassed that Chow Yun-Fat has gone from amazing stuff like Hard Boiled and The Killer to eye-rolling stuff like this. The only actor who did all right (and I stress, just all right) was James Marsters as (an underused) Lord Piccolo – he’s not in any way good, but, let’s just say… he was less terrible than the rest of the cast.
The only thing I can think of that’s even remotely positive about Dragonball: Evolution is that the special effects are pretty cool at times. Not during some of the hand-to-hand combat scenes (where the effects are so obviously… effects, if you know what I mean), but when they use what is known as “KI attacks,” which are basically blasts of different colored energy from their hands.
Props go to Amalgamated Dynamics for creating special effects which are, on their own, quite visually stunning. Also, the movie is really quite short, so at least I didn’t have to sit through the pain for all that long.
However, that’s pretty much where the positive stuff ends – you just know a movie is in trouble when you are literally straining to think of something you liked about it.
I don’t know if the story they used here in any way resembles the original cartoon/anime stories, but how they told it in the movie was abysmal. There were clearly elements taken from the source material, and it is then clearly a story (or one of the stories… I don’t know, I’m not a Dragonball fan) that may work well in a cartoon but it does not work well on the big-screen. Not for even the slightest moment.
I lost count of the number of times I rolled my eyes, snickered, groaned, and shook my head in embarrassment and shame during this movie. I can’t actually believe the filmmakers looked at the script and thought, “Yes, this is good stuff. Let’s go ahead and make it!” It’s probably just one of those cases where they saw the popularity of the source material and thought that they could make a quick buck by just throwing anyone in the roles, sticking together bits and pieces from the cartoon to form something resembling a story.
So needless to say I don’t recommend Dragonball: Evolution. I wasn’t expecting this to be any good, but I don’t know if I was expecting it to be this bad. Please, if you believe in the magic of cinema, avoid this with as much effort as it takes.
Our Rating:
0.5 out of 5
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Holy cow… if you just do a search and replace you could have a Star Trek vs. Star Wars debate going on here.
Why in the heck does it matter whether Transformers or Dragonball is more popular????
Vic
Holy Bull Fecal Matter Batman!! We can’t let go of our favs!
GUYS: LET IT GO. You like this, He likes that. End Game!
Phasers set to mute:
@ Vic
It doesn’t and never really did, but a die hard fan will become belligerent and enraged when people don’t agree with them, start finding meaningless figures and polls, clutching to a thesaurus to make their grammar and verbiage seem as if they went to an Ivy league school, when they try to make a failed point. The only time people take such offense to something is if their is some truth in what was said.
“start finding meaningless figures and polls, clutching to a thesaurus to make their grammar and verbiage seem as if they went to an Ivy league school”
Hey!!!
That fits UFO “enthusiasts”… sorry.
We should stick to the post subject matter of a review of this movie. I’ll stop going down errant subject paths.
What dissapointed most about the movie is that the draft of the script they used was absolutely terrible in comparison to the leaked draft of the script that got out about six or seven months ago.
At first I thought it was a fan made script that somebody decided to put on the internet in the disguise of the real script, but its obvious from watching the movie that it WAS an actual earlier draft, and although it was obviously not a great script, it was fantastic compared to the one they ended up using.
At least in the earlier version, the characters at least acted like they did in the manga/anime. That, to me, was the biggest problem with the movie. Not the terrible script or story, but the fact that NONE of the characters were the same as their comic counterparts. You expect some changes going in, but its just ridiculous to change every last detail and expect fans to accept that.
Dragonball may not be the best source material for a movie, but it could have been so much better than what they ended up making.
@ Bruce
It fits a lot of people other than UFO enthusiasts. Not many people have anything to say about the flick because not many people have actually seen it, so I guess that could be the reason holding on to “debate”, trying to get last minute and weak jabs in.
Have you seen the film?
@ Josh R
There is definitely no doubt this film could have been better, it just fell into the wrong and greedy hands.
I can’t believe I’m gonna join in on this discussion. I just randomly went to the site to see what news is up and started reading all of this. I can’t think of a more useless debate than this one. Personally I think Transformer and Dragon ball are both just awful. I have a friend who loves Dragon Ball and can’t for the life of me understand it. Anyway I think this argument is simple.
Dragon Ball has a much larger fanbase. A fanbase is a large group of people who very much love something who buy the products who strongly care about it. Very few if any people actually give a damn about Transformers. Transformers is more widely known. You can ask the average joe on the street what he has heard of and he will say transformers. I don’t think there are people who havn’t ever heard of Transformers, however there are people who have no clue what DB is. The difference is the DBZ fanbase is big I mean real big. These are the people who buy the prodcuts watch the cartoons still in repeats even. While the transformers ‘fans’ I use that term loosely will generally have seen the cartoon when they were kids and watched the movie once. So in conclusion this is simple to understand Transformers is more widely spread and more main stream, but DB has more actual fans. Just because you know what something is does not mean your a fan.
The Star Wars and DB debate is just a joke.
Was trying hard to stay away from this topic but since the my 2 cent train is full steam ahead.
I am one who doesn’t give a damn about DB Universe. Not all fans of something are mindless sheep who just run out and by any and everything. This like it was said before people just want to jump back on the debate though after scrolling through the posts I only saw an opinion given by one poster, and then manic fanboy’s decided to increase their ego points, following standard procedures from the FanBoy Rule Book. Daniel F the same is true and will hold true for DB fans, which I say loosely because most of these true fans you speak of are sheep who just go with crowd. If their friend likes DB they try to be cool and watch it so they can fit in. Are we really to believe that the the backbone of the”fan base” which seem to be 16 and under started off reading the Manga since the first copy. Same holds true with these DB games which are just carbon copies of each other with minor tweaks and new characters. Trying to use the well it sold more units this and that is tiresome I told u so tactic that really means nothing. If DB is not mainstream tas u say then why has this crap (and yes I have seen it) film been produced to try and appeal to the main stream. Sorry but I don’t think being a fan means being ignorant to try and get people to satisfy your ego because they don’t break down and agree with you. Furthermore no one in here works in the finance departs or heads the finance sectors for each of these companies. One thing I know Transformers are still selling regardless of how many or how much.
Before u come at me with your tired and rehashed, and redundant statements, know this
1. I don’t care
2. You are nothing to me but a blogger with an opinion and there is no point to respond and definitely no reason to get Mad about any of this CRAP.
3. See points 1 and 2
Well put, Daniel F. But as far as Star Wars vs. Dragonball: You honestly can’t suggest Japanese fans or other ethnic fans alike don’t feel about Dragonball as Star Wars fans feel about Star Wars, nor can you suggest that Star Wars fanbase is so much larger than Dragonball’s by an unmeasurable degree.
Chuck, try reliving your childhood- whether you may or have not missed out on one of the greatest things about growing up, I don’t care, but understand that your argument or two cents are as meaningless as anyone else’s posting to his review.
So you actually think the “trend” is what caused the market numbers to increase? Well in this case the same could be said about practically any material or product, and to so harshly judge the material the way you do only suggests your denial and ignorance (no offense intended).
You obviously don’t care to understand what the appeal is, and nor will you give it the time of day, so why bother posting? Blowing steam here just incites anger in fans. If that’s your objective, then you’re a cruel, bias and self-centered person.
Rasl
Try realizing points 1 and 2.
Thank you for confirming you two cents are also meaningless. I bother to post becuz it’s my right to post here.
Well, as a fan on the defense, I kind of have a right to bring dispute to your steam blowing about something you’re anti and ignorant of.
Correction as a FanBoy.
Another insult, stereotyping, labelling. In conclusion, condescension. The question is why.
Actually you seem to also being blowing smoke as well, because there were others who posted on here that they don’t care for DB really either, but I guess because mine was the most recent and I spoke against DB (oh no) u have decided to blow steam as well which is all the “debate” which I cant see why its even a debate, became about after about the 3rd post about it. Have u seen the movie or are you just going to old posts to have something DB to talk about?
Well Rasl
You came with insult first about childhood this and that, which Im sure u will be quick to say it wasn’t but we know that it is. Also you assumed that because some one doesn’t give a damn about DB instead of Xformers that they must be missing out and have never seen it. What are u even getting defensive about anyway? Because you feel I’m supposed to be enchanted by DB universe? That’s the main problem quick to be defensive because some one doesn’t agree with what you agree with.
U boys need to LET IT GO. What’s your fascination with each other? LET IT GO.
No fascination, nothing worth taking hold of to begin with. Just asking some questions.
I’ve dealt with other people whom I felt were far more out of line than you were. Sin187, for his in indescribably thick-headed nonsense and lack of knowledge of property and fanbase.
You’re in the right to have your own opinion, it’s just that with how much explicit hatred and bias going on from both sides, it’s sickening when more just keep adding to it. The impulse must just be too strong for people, that they feel they must tear someone, or persons down through their own beliefs.
One of the most unbias posts I have seen so far was by a person who firstly remarked that virtually every franchise is “large” in some sense or fashion. While this is true, I think the movie audience, critics, public, and whoever else, are just under some sort of illusion that film fanbase, however greater in size than cartoon audience, is seemingly more important on a grandscale somehow, than a comic franchise, because more people see it.
The point fans try to stress is that we’re dissatisfied with the adaptation FOX made. The material actually has plenty of potential, and I’m sorry if you don’t see that, and I guess I am also sorry if some of the America public is “turned off” to foreign pop-culture, that it somehow turns into shutting out interest due to racism rather than an opinion formed from proper examination.
Did you know Warner Bros. and Disney wanted the rights to produce Dragonball? FOX won the rights, and delayed its $150 million production in 2002 when it had more potential as a film, to produce a lower budget film now. That’s actually a slap in the face to fans, if anybody.
Yep – that’s Fox for ya! Somehow, managing to constantly make the most non-optimal decisions regarding movies that have an installed fan base ready and willing to support the product. Then, this crap.
LoL so what are you an internet fanboy enforcer that switches IDs to take last minute jabs at people. Do you actually know this Sin187 or anyone else you feel you have made a point to? Looks like he played you and that other guy for fools if that is indeed what he was doing. And please control your property and fan base statements, ok. Furthermore don’t try to hide behind Rob Keyes post, because your whole points of alleged argument were then made off of biasness primarily. Also opinions don’t and are rarely made by proper examination bye anyone including yourself. When it comes to something that people like they really don’t have to give you any in depth details as to why they like something. You just seem to still be mad about the fact that the other guy who posted doesn’t agree with your point of view on the subject. And Im assuming you are this PR guy from earlier, I may be wrong, but what is the relevance to bring the other blogger back up now? I don’t recall seeing anywhere where he put you down for being a DB fan. They say that hating some one and trying to get revenge on them is best form of flattery. I can say one thing his OPINION did make this thread better than that god awful movie , which btw have u seen it?
Well Rasl/PR
Films are not immune to delays. A big budget does not guarantee a good flick (WaterWorld, but is amusing sometimes). Even if it came out 7 years ago and was handled by WB/Disney it still may have flopped,and could have possibly (if its even possible) been worse than what has been produced now.
I am THIS CLOSE to disabling comments on this review – and the damned movie isn’t even OUT yet!
You guys need to chill out and learn to discuss your differences without getting down and dirty. There’s no need for the personal attacks and bickering.
Grow up for crying out loud.
Vic
I agree with Vic.
It’s just DB. Who cares? I know, i know “the fan base”. Well, to all the fans, go back to your tapes, comics, manga or whatever you like.
Nobody could make a good movie from this horrendous plot. Maybe it works for anime/manga, because in that kind of media good history is not so important, that’s a fact. And im refering to logical, coherent, compelling stories.
I really hope some day you DB fans get a good adaptation or nothing at all, because it’s very annoying see one franchise you like (or you dont) turned another thing that got nothing to do with the original idea.
@ JM
I wouldn’t hold my breath on a decent live action film for anything DB. Even the 1992 version DragonBall the Magic begins (at least that is when it was english dubbed and distributed by Tai-Seng video) was somewhat mildly better, because it followed the original story and plot more than Evolution, but it was still painful and unbearable to watch so much that I had to stop it and return it back to the local video store. the one character that disgusted more that Justtin CHatwin was Goku, was the guy who was Yamcha. I wonder if he was the guy from the Wachowski Bros Speed Racer, yet another anime/manga that had potential as a live action flick, and appeared to be in capable hands, but was a let down.
Higher budget guarantees more time, energy, and promotion into a film production, naturally. Thus, more than likely yielding to a better result.
300 was filmed in the same timeframe as Dragonball and with a similar budget, yet its screenplay was written in a way that could work while relying more on stylized violence emphasis and CG effect rather than story and character development. The film earned a collective $200,000,000 domestic and half billion worldwide.
Dragonball: Evolution was a last-ditch effort for FOX in one of the biggest economic slopes since the ’70s. It’s received a poor budget, casting choices, director, and promotion. No one expected it to be a #1 Box-Office opener. What we’ve seen it done already, is quite easily understandable:
It didn’t tackle the Box-Office with extraordinary numbers, nor did all of the fans go to see the film. The Asian market isn’t huge on cinema, and if ‘Dragonball: Evolution’ can make $10 million in its biggest market, Spider-Man or Watchmen can make double in a region of the world live cinema is huge, like America. Respectively $25-30 million openers in the United States. Boil it down, you have what is practical.
The numbers seen by DB:E already are above ordinary for several viable factors, and somehow managing to set records in some parts of Asia, such as in Indonesia.
Well we’re not talking about 300, that was based on historical facts, and reworked by Frank Miller into a graphic novel that kept the history and facts to a point, but also incorporated his artistic foresight, and then taken by Zack Snyder and told with such grace and style. We’re talking about DB Evolution a FAIL movie. I wouldn’t put too much stock in opening weekend numbers as many films open strong (some setting records) but ultimately tank, dwindle and die.
@SIN
I second that notion. Mortal Kombat Annihaltion comes to mind as having a strong opening, but was awful, not as much as this, but still pretty awful. Please keep in mind a strong opening is a strong opening regardless of how much is made that night/weekend. Even some films that don’t open strong end up being great films that even win Oscars, case in point Crash from 2004.
Heck if u want to play the numbers game Crash had a budget of 6.5 million, minimal promoting , below average box office revenue, and ended up earning $98.4 million, plus an Oscar, and spawned a series with Dennis Hopper. It just goes to show u can’t base a movies potential or potential quality solely on the budget and revenue being made. The potential for this film died at conception which i sad because James Wong worked on the X-Files (when it was good), and also Directed the One with Jet Li and Jason Statham which was decent.