Dragonball Evolution (2009) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA,Hong Kong, UK 2009
Director: James Wong
Cast: Justin Chatwin, Chow Yun-fat, Emmy Rossum, Jamie Chung, James Marsters, Joon Park, Eriko Tamura
Rating: PG
Release Date: 10 April 2009
Running Time: 1 hour 22 minutes

The Movie Review

Dragonball Evolution film still 1


DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION
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When knowing there's gonna be a Hollywood movie about Dragonball I said to myself "I swear, I'm gonna nitpick every little detail and I'm gonna flay it and I definitely won't hesitate in making a fool out of it, if... it messed up!" I'm a big fan of Dragon Ball, reading the comic book, playing the game and even learning to draw intently because of Songoku and his friends. I remember that after reading one issue of Dragon Ball, I eagerly waited day by day until the following month came up with the next issue. The feeling of buying the book that cost only Rp 3,000 (or around 1/3 of a Dollar in current currency rate), was magnificent... Opening its wrapping paper, preparing some chips and reading page after page were moment that I really felt grateful for.

Before I had a chance to see this movie, a cousin of mine, Sandy AR, suddenly blurted out some painful critic about the movie and I said to myself "Just whaddya know about Dragon Ball?!" And as it turns out... Oh Heck freakin' f*ckin bummer! He was right! As a fan, I felt cheated and heavily disappointed. How could they tear apart everything and made something so cheesy, tacky and sooooo awful?!

In this movie, the world was in a state of total chaos because of a devil named Piccolo (James Marsters) who with his monsters had turned the world into living hell. But a group of warriors could sealed Piccolo in a secret container permanently (or so they thought). Of course Piccolo eventually escaped and he's on a quest to find the seven balls of the magical Dragon Ball. Dragon Ball, if all seven can be gathered in one place, will summon a magic dragon that will fulfil any wish of anyone who has collected them. Meanwhile, in a serene village, a young man named Songoku (Justin Chatwin) is given a shiny looking ball ---with 4 stars in it--- by his grandfather (Randall Duk Kim). Songoku doesn't blend well with the rest of the rich guys in his school. He rides a bicycle while most of them rides fancy cars (oh my goodness, such a tacky story). Songoku is having a crush on an Asian chick named Chi Chi (Jamie Chung) but he is too shy to make a move. On Chi Chi's party Songoku leave his own private celebration with his grandfather gohan only to regret it for the rest of his life. Now, Songoku has to find Master Mutenroshi (Chow Yun-Fat) to learn more of martial arts skill.

And with the help of his newly-found friend, Bulma (Emmy Rossum), they will also travel to find the rest of the Dragon Ball to fight Piccolo. Could they find the balls? Will they defeat Piccolo? Do the fans have the balls to see the movie? Do the fans will care in the end? Who's got the balls to write this story anyway?

And oh yeah, the review will contain spoilers, though this time it's for your own good, to prevent you (mainly fans) from having a heart attack.

These are the differences that are insulting to fans!:

* Songoku or Goku is not a caucassian! He starts his training since a little boy by his grandfather and when his grandfather Gohan died (because of being stomped to death by Goku himself while unconsciously turning into a giant monkey), he then learns on-and-off under the guidance of Master Mutenroshi. In this movie he's still training with his grandfather in his teen age.
* By the age of teen he masters everything crucial to eliminate any opponent with his super Kamehameha. The first Kamehameha Songoku ever did is to a car near the fire mountain. In this movie he's still having cheesy difficulties in learning even the simplest Kamehameha.
* He doesn't go to school (his son Gohan does). In this movie, he does and is being bullied. Even Gohan isn't bullied.
* One thing for sure, Goku is a very naive and kindhearted boy (he's even still naive until his adult life) and at his teen age he still doesn't know the meaning of "Wife", he even thought that it's some kind of a food. In this movie, he wants to date and to impress the gals.
* Goku doesn't have a birthday since he was found lying unconscious in the bottom of a ridge by his grandfather. In this movie, of course he does!
* Goku knows chi chi since they were kids when doing an assignment to retrieve the magic fan. And they are getting an engagement right in front of the public on the arena of Tenkaichi Budokai. In this movie, Chi Chi is his friend at school, and she's rich, popular, and of course She's all that!.
* Goku's very best friend, Burma, is a sassy and funny type of woman, she's impulsive, reckless and funny. Not like the one in the movie where she resembles a lot the style of Elektra. Stern and serious is not Burma.
* Piccolo has three non-monster assistants, the leader of the assistants is Pilaf/Pirafu, Mai is only Pirafu's subordinate. And Mai doesn't intentionally dress provocatively!. In this movie, we got the Lara Croft version of Mai!.
* Mutenroshi's house is in a small Island in somewhat tropical setting. A house that he can carry everywhere in form of a Capsule. In this movie, his house is a nail house in the middle of surrounding big-city skylines.
* Yamucha/Yamcha has a pet/friend, a cat named Puar that can fly and is a shapeshifter. In the movie Puar/Puaru doesn't exist, although Yamucha does date Burma (sort of).

* Puar's friend, Uron, a pig and also a shapeshifter is not exist, as well as a darn fine broad named Ranchi who turns blonde and violent when she sneezes.

* And Where the heck is Goku's tail...?

And what strikes me the most that the writer dare to change the very underlining aspect, the very basic element that connects Dragon Ball's whole storyline!!! In this movie, Songoku is not a Saiyan! He's created by Piccolo! So, everything underlining has also been changed! How can he be a Super Saiyan with his hair turning blonde and going spiky because of the unbearable rage inside him? And Songoku is turning into a giant monkey because of his tail, everytime he looks on a full moon he will become a giant monkey, a secret skill specially inherited by his Saiyan gene. One way to bring him back to normal size (human) is to cut his tail! Or to destroy the moon as performed by Mutenroshi in Tenkaichi Budokai and also by Piccolo when he's teaching Goku's son, Gohan. In this movie he turns into giant monkey because of Piccolo.

But the bottom line is, Dragon Ball is comedy/action comic book, the storyline of the early issues of Dragon Ball has this enjoyable playful tone. The expressions of Songoku or Yamucha, Burma, Mutenroshi or even Mutenroshi's pet turtle are very funny. Akira Toriyama really knows how to put some feel-good comedy in it. It's very hard not to get absorbed by the intriguing storyline. As it is also hard not to despise this movie apparently.

I guess the writers doesn't get the humor or the comical tone of Dragon Ball. In the early issues of Dragon Ball (which this movie is based upon) There is no such serious thing as using sacred pots to contain Piccolo inside it, Mutenroshi and his master Musashi are using rice cooker! This little touch of detail that sets Dragon Ball apart from other Manga.

The CGI employed is a mixed bag. The kamehameha and other energy blasts scenes are awesome but other effects are really not that good. The directing is very good, the cinematography is great, the colours are even more excellent, the editing is good, the pacing is very enjoyably steady but then again it's story that's plain disgusting! Hitting 10 minutes mark, I almost can't stand watching it anymore, it's getting weirder and weirder. People speaking Japanese, and mentioning about Chinese and Indian... WTF!

Dragon Ball was written by a Japanese comic writer. Yes...that's true, but another beauty of Dragon Ball is that there is almost zilch reference to any nation. It's like a parallel world with even dinosaurs in it (that eagers to eat Songoku, Kuririn and Songohan by the way), of course we could still see Chinese-architectural temple and even Balinese Gates of Tenkaichi Budokai (The big tournament) and even the gate announcer is wearing Bali's dress (which I'm sure familiar with all tourists coming to Bali), and also Mutenroshi's house in a tropical island like Hawaii (Hint: Kamehameha), but no nations whatsoever! Arrrghhh, especially when seeing a tense-looking woman, Mai, wearing provocative clothing wielding a gun and walking just like Lara Croft of Tomb Raider and then talking Japanese... What the f*cking fu*k?!

Don't get me wrong, I love Japanese language, I learnt it intently in my college days but I prefer to see the movie in one language only. I'd wish Akira Toriyama had made a special language like some Hollywood filmmakers have created.

Everyone is a miscast, only Justin Chatwin that can show a certain degree of Goku-ness. And maybe also Joon Park with a certain degree of Yamucha-ness. And btw, after you've seen Chow Yun Fat in this movie, you'll be blown away by his performance in Curse of the Dragon Flower (2006), western viewers might wonder were those the same guy. What's got into Chow Yun Fat that he wanted to star in Dragon Ball?

It's like the writer didn't do any research about Dragon Ball or even try to read it. It seems he was given a task to create a story about 7 shiny balls, a dragon, a kamehameha, and mere names of goku, bulma, piccolo, yamcha and roshi and then he was given the liberty to create anything he wanted. Whow, based on the comic book by Akira Toriyama?! Really...?!

I hate this film so much, that I accidentally threw stuff on the screen. And throwing something at the screen is really something I dislike. I was having great doubt on how many stars should I give the movie. Taking into considerations of every aspect. I have to say this is far from being worst movie ever that's based on comic-book or video game, but as a fan of Dragon Ball, I give this movie half a star! And that's only because I thank you for given us fans the chance to see how a Kamehameha would like being done with good CGI.

And as for my cousin who does know nothing about Dragon Ball but still came up hating the movie, probably it's the same feeling I had when watching Elektra (2005). I didn't read the comic book but I surely hate the movie. You don't have to be a fan of the original book to appreaciate a movie, if that movie itself is already a great one.

And last but not least... Where the f*ck is KURIRIN/KRILLIN?! One of the most important key-characters, the very best friend of Songoku that eventually makes Songoku can turn into Super Saiyan because of his anger seeing Kuririn got murdered?! Oh well... Let's just Kamehameha this movie to oblivion!