Except for the presence of Hong Kong star Chow Yun-Fat, this shoddy live-action film is no different or bigger than the sort of junk kids plop down to watch on TV after school.
Dragonball: Evolution (2009)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:53
Fresh:7
Rotten:46
Average Rating:3.4/10
Consensus: Executed with little panache or invention, Dragonball Evolution lacks the magic that made the books upon which it was based a cult sensation.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for intense sequences of action/violence and brief mild language.
Runtime: 85 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:08-04-2009
Synopsis: Based on the renowned Japanese manga/anime franchise, the live-action DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION follows the adventures of young Goku (Justin Chatwin of WAR OF THE WORLDS), who is drawn into the legacy... Based on the renowned Japanese manga/anime franchise, the live-action DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION follows the adventures of young Goku (Justin Chatwin of WAR OF THE WORLDS), who is drawn into the legacy of the mystical spheres of the title, and trains to become a powerful warrior with the aid of the wise but lewd Master Roshi (Chow Yun-Fat) and the weapons-loving Bulma (Emmy Rossum), among others. This small band of fighters must face off against the evil warlord Piccolo (James Marsters) and his minions to avert the end of the world. The first Hollywood feature-film adaptation of the venerable DRAGONBALL series, EVOLUTION is helmed by director James Wong (FINAL DESTINATION, THE ONE) with a nod to the playful work of coproducer Stephen Chow (KUNG FU HUSTLE). A movie where visual effects and plot easily eclipse the acting and script, EVOLUTION will appeal to those seeking a combat-heavy spectacle, though the presence of Yun Fat, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER alum Marsters, and former reality-TV star Jamie Chung help to elevate the proceedings. Although diehard fans may not be pleased with the film, which misses peak DRAGONBALL popularity by about 15 years, EVOLUTION, like its fellow 2009 movie STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI, serves as fine entertainment for ardent martial-arts/video-game enthusiasts and tween boys. [More]
Starring: Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum, Chow Yun Fat, James Marsters
Starring: Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum, Chow Yun Fat, James Marsters, Jamie Chung, Joon Park, Eriko, Randall Duk Kim, Ernie Hudson
Director: James Wong
Director: James Wong
Screenwriter: James Wong
Producer: Stephen Chow
Composer: Brian Tyler
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Reviews for Dragonball: Evolution
Chintzy effects, badly overdubbed dialogue, an idiotic script and a cave set that looks exactly like the "caves" on log-flume rides.
A more accurately descriptive moniker would have been Dragonball Stagnation.
The production tries hard in parts, with doses of wry teen humour and imaginative visual effects, but overall, the finished product has no more than a boring, dull veneer to it.
It's this generation's Surf Ninjas, and if you remember that at all then you know what I mean.
It's a flat take on wild narrative twists involving a shape-shifting villainess, magic balls, and a blistering finishing move called "The Kamehameha." With those ingredients, perhaps the animated realm is where the material should remain.
The special effects are rotten. Some CG landscapes even look as bad as those cardboard backdrops they used in old 'Sixties Star Trek episodes!
The movie is at best a mixed blessing, helmer Wong moves things around quickly (running time is only 83 minutes), but the film lacks the scope and style of a mythic epic and the leads are played by actors who may be too old to be teenagers.
Action packed and well paced, the film delivers exactly what it promises in terms of its style and quality effects and should appeal to the 15 to 24 crowd
Dragonball Evolution doesn't take itself too seriously, but avoids campiness.
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