Dragonball: Evolution, so you like or dislike the movie?

saiyanprince · Post by **saiyanprince** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:45 pm

I went and saw Dragonball: Evolution with low expectations but it turned out not that bad at all. Believe me, this is not as good as the manga or anime of the original series. On the other hand, an evolution of sorts is not a bad thing if you have seen or read the show over and over. The movie was WAAAYYY too short at 125 minutes, things moved to fast and the script is a mess (I loved every actor in the movie but don't blame them for the short/bad dialogue or lack of). James Marsters is Piccolo, Chow Yun Fat is Roshi and everyone else did great in my opinion. I do feel like Chatwin acted more like a young Gohan, instead of a happy-go-lucky Goku. It's a great popcorn movie and has moments but there needs to be more promotion (heavily lacking), different producer and an all-around polish.

Killua · Post by **Killua** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 4:50 pm

It was ok. Definitely not as bad as I had expected. If you try your best not to think about the changes and how much better the original story is, the better the movie is.

dbzmomma · Post by **dbzmomma** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:51 pm

My son never said a word and walked out as the first credits started to roll, meaning he almost missed the final scene. He came back in when I didn't appear right away.

I liked it. I realize that they played with the story, but you have to sacrifice to get to where you want to go - which, of course, is a sequel ... or 2. If you check out James Marsters interview (I had to follow a couple links from IMDB to find it), he knows DB really well.

I liked the actors and the acting and didn't think the dialogue was all that bad. The special effects were decent for a low-budget movie. I was pleased with the action.

My son hated it, but he's a purist.

Penguinton · Post by **Penguinton** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 3:56 pm

I liked it. I did not expect it to be half as good as it was, so I was pleasantly surprised.

I don't think they explained things well at all. It was as if you needed to know some of the original story to understand what was going on at times. I guess a little foreshadowing would have been nice. But the acting was pretty good.

Goldknight · Post by **Goldknight** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:30 pm

My feedback was best said here: http://www.anime-beta.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=25665

MeganD. · Post by **MeganD.** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:29 am

I was really disappointed in the film. Primarily because I think if done correctly and the story told with respect, it would be an absolute success. The movie was alright as an action film, but it wasn't Dragonball or DBZ. It didn't capture the appeal of DB or it's characters at all. At times, I did like Justin Chatwin's innocent goofiness, it worked fairly well. But Yamcha was terrible and the attraction between him and Bulma not at all believable. The story was convoluted when it didn't need to be and I don't think anyone who wasn't a previous DB or DBZ fan would have the slightest clue as to what was going on with the plot, or care for that matter.

The visual effects was the nail in the coffin for me. They were nothing short of horrible. If they can't get the wire work right, if Goku and Picollo don't feel strong while flying, then why even attempt the film in the first place? None of it works if these characters can't be believably epic off ground.

The teaser at the end was also a let down. Picollo's incarnation appears, which I did not see as a teaser at all. Am I now supposed to look forward to the exact same fight I just saw? Why didn't they introduce the idea of the Saiyans coming for Goku? They should have moved on to the next step in the story, not advertise more of the same.

My big mistake may have been actually having expectations for this film. In the end I think the script was decent, but the acting was lacking and the effects third rate. It just didn't feel like the director took the film seriously or understood what makes Dragonball unique, which is a shame. With films like Batman Begins, Iron Man and The Hulk paving the way on how to tell a superhero story correctly, it's just sad to see Dragonball become another forgettable live action adaption.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:25 pm

I saw it with my brother and we both agreed that it was just like the cartoons...way too much talking and very little action..** Yawn**