The Official Rate and Review Thread

[dark_b]

''Speaking of time, or the lack thereof, everything is compressed''

 

[SolarTiger]

Interesting isn't it dark_b?

 

[Majin...]

so we'll have to wait for the sequel til 2011?

 

[DorkyFresh]

another negative review.

http://www.nukethefridge.com/index....agonball-evolution&catid=11:reviews&Itemid=38

"You're Right" here, live from Tokyo, Japan with an exclusive review of "Dragonball: Evolution" just for the Fridge. Beware MAJOR SPOILERS below.

"Dragonball Evolution Kamehamehaed the Fridge!"

Today was the opening day for "DragonBall: Evolution" in Japan, so I purchased a ticket at the last minute for the first showing at the Toho Theater in Odaiba where every weekend thousands of people go to see movies and get away from their daily grind. The theater it was being presented in had at least a 600-seat capacity, but I counted only about 30 people including me. Not a good sign at all.

Going in I pretty much knew what to expect. What you have seen in the trailer is exactly what you are going to get on the big screen. This film is not the worst film adaptation of a franchise that’s for sure; I would say it’s better than "Dead or Alive" but equally matched with the god-awful "Charlie's Angels." So again Hollywood (aka 20th Century Fox) puts their own spin, re-imagining, or whatever they call it this week on Akira Toriyama’s Manga / Anime "Dragonball." What they ended up with is a film that is loosely based on the original that is dull and plays out at a turtles (kame) pace.

Spoiler warning and it’s the best thing about the movie… Ernie Hudson is in the movie. Honestly for me that was the films highlight, it’s always a joy to see him in films no matter how small the role. Anyway the story starts with Lord Picolo and Oozaru 2000 years ago as they battle, almost destroying everything. Then Picolo is imprisoned and then somehow in present day he escapes. How he escapes isn’t explained, he just does and his mission is to find all the Dragonballs so he can have his revenge. Only thing is Picolo pretty much throughout the whole movie only talks a lot and doesn’t do much. He just stands around on his Zeppelin, leaving all the dirty work to some made up character sporting nice cleavage named "Mai" who runs around causing havoc and locating the Dragonballs.

The first act of the film is pretty much the Karate Kid in reverse; Goku played by Justin Chatwin is trained by Gohan Goku’s grandfather, but not to fight humans. All Goku knows is fighting but it’s his eighteenth birthday and he would rather learn about the birds and the bees. So he heads off to school where he is picked on for being a geek while lusting over ChiChi played by Jamie Chung. The only person actually lusting over this actress and her obvious enhanced chest is the director James Wong, who from this point on in the film tries to put Jamie in every scene he possibly can. Seriously she is not even hot nor can the girl deliver a convincing fight scene, instead of cutting Krillin out of the film they should have cut out ChiChi.

Anyways the first act is wasted on budding love sessions between Goku and ChiChi. This is only used as a plot device to get Goku out of the house so Gohan can be hurt by Picolo’s oh so powerful Darth Vader house crushing force ability. Goku senses his gramps is in trouble and rushes home in time to hear Gohan’s last words about the power of the Dragonballs and how he must stop Picolo, which keeps getting regurgitated for the rest of the film. "Find the Dragonball and you will be granted the perfect wish." God, my wish would have been for a better movie.

It almost feels like there was no script for this movie at all; as if they were given a summary of the characters then where told just drop them in along the way. Bulma is mindless and lacks any real attitude. This is no way this dame could be involved in Capsule Corps. Chow Yun Fat as Master Roshi was the only performance similar to the comic, but he was much too light hearted. He needed to be more perverted. With all the cleavage in this film, Roshi’s hands should have been everywhere. Roshi continues to train Goku from this point on and shows him how to channel the Kamehameha. Then Yamcha is tossed in out of the blue. Since he can’t fight he just ends up as extra baggage on the journey.

By the time you get to the grand finally of the film you really could care less. Goku finally comes face to face with Picolo only to find out he is not human and will turn into "Oozaru", Picolo’s monkey slave and commanded to kill his new friends. Roshi tries to capture Picolo in a magic vase which ends up killing him, of course "Oozaru Goku" realizes he has the will to over come his monkey madness and eventually returns to his former self in order to defeat Piclolo with a less than spectacular Kamehameha blast. Then everybody gathers the Dragonballs and summons Shenron to wish Roshi back from the dead. All is well and Goku goes back to ChiChi. She challenges Goku to a fight and the film ends in a Rocky 3 "Eye of the Tiger" still frame ending.

This film was easy to sit through, but not worth the price of admission. The plot is almost nonexistent and pasted together with visual effects when they needed to fill in gaps where there was nothing to say. The scope of his film is too small and almost feels like it was more for a direct to DVD release. "Dragonball" deserves better and so do you, my advice is to go read the manga.

Oh by the way, during the credits you see Picolo being nursed back to heath by some Asian woman. So you know "if" there is a sequel he will be back, and due to human kindness he will turn good.

 

[dark_b]

so we'll have to wait for the sequel til 2011?

if it makes a profit then expect the sequel in 2 years. if not we are f... up.

this is not like superman or batman. chances of a reboot in the next 5 years will be small IMO.

in the time they are building sets the sequel to IM. you know the movie that came out last year?

 

[dark_b]

another negative review.

they dont explain how piccolo escapes?

deleted scene hahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahha

 

[Majin...]

it's time to change my signature...''has ruined''
dark_b you're talking about iron man right?

 

[Majin...]

they dont explain how piccolo escapes?

deleted scene hahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahha

goku's kamehameha was simply not enough to take him down...that's how "powerful" he is

 

[dark_b]

it's time to change my signature...''has ruined''
dark_b you're talking about iron man right?

i mean IM.

ohh and the big robots are also back. they come out this year. Rothamn(FOX) thinks that a sentinel in x-men would look silly.

 

[Majin...]

he rejects the very idea of putting big things(the sentinel,oozaru)on screen...i think he's frustrated
(sad chilhood)

 

[Deaths Head II]

i said almost 100% not 100%. anyone who says that they would settle for less than 80% is a completely lying. if you're not going to be honest and cant admit that, then there's obviously not much more i can say. i'm not trying to start a fight, i'm just trtying to be completely honest.

I guess I'm a liar then.

I never expected them to keep the talking animals.

I expected them to change the story a lot.

I didn't expect them to feature any of the early Dragonball villains like Pilaf. I'm surprised they even used Mai.

Heck, I didn't even expect they were going to put in Oozaru.

Overall, I expected around 50% of the original show. I was keeping any open mind. But what I also didn't expect them to put Goku in high school and I didn't expect them to make Goku a love-sick teenage boy. This movie removed the things I expected and then added things for no reason but to make this movie as generic as possible.

 

[dark_b]

i didnt expect oozaru in the movie. but i hoped for some groundbreaking action.

 

[CrashNburn]

I guess I'm a liar then.

I never expected them to keep the talking animals.

I expected them to change the story a lot.

I didn't expect them to feature any of the early Dragonball villains like Pilaf. I'm surprised they even used Mai.

Heck, I didn't even expect they were going to put in Oozaru.

Overall, I expected around 50% of the original show. I was keeping any open mind. But what I also didn't expect them to put Goku in high school and I didn't expect them to make Goku a love-sick teenage boy. This movie removed the things I expected and then added things for no reason but to make this movie as generic as possible.

if you only expected 50% then you should be happy with the movie. i'm sure they've got atleast 50% in this movie.

 

[Alchemyst]

if you only expected 50% then you should be happy with the movie. i'm sure they've got atleast 50% in this movie.

Just by naming the film Dragonball and having the main character Goku put them at 50%

 

[CrashNburn]

they have all the character names, piccolo is green, gohan takes in goku and trains him, they search for the dragonballs and master roshi, yamcha is a bandit, they summon the eternal dragon, etc. sounds 50% to me. i'm not saying that the movie will be good or bad but if someone is only expecting 50%, they should be satisfied. i'm expecting more than 50% but i hopefully will still enjoy the film.

 

[SupremeSoul]

All Fox needs to do in the next couple of weeks is promote this movie like crazy...if so than it'll be a hit.

 

[Alchemyst]

All Fox needs to do in the next couple of weeks is promote this movie like crazy...if so than it'll be a hit.

No....Fox needs new management

 

[CrashNburn]

No....Fox needs new management

you up to the task Alchemyst?

it's funny that Fox wants to reboot Fantastic Four and Daredevil. i wonder if DB is part of that reboot plan after this one.

 

[SolarTiger]

Dragonball already has had 2 reboots though. Would they be willing to try again?

 

[dark_b]

there are 2 DB movies out?

 

[SupremeSoul]

Even most with people who do not like this movie will go see it, so Fox will profit off of them.

 

[SolarTiger]

there are 2 DB movies out?

and some old korean movie.

 

[StylishHokie21]

All Fox needs to do in the next couple of weeks is promote this movie like crazy...if so than it'll be a hit.

"Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt."

 

[SupremeSoul]

I hope that happens

 

[Star]

I'm going to boycott this. I'll see it, but only if I can find a download. Otherwise I'm waiting till video

Actually, that's a lie. I'll get super stoned and go on Tuesday. At least then I get my free drink and popcorn.