Dragonball Evolution
2009 · Directed by James Wong
Original language: English
- action
- adventure
- fantasy
- science fiction
- thriller
The story
On his 18th birthday, Goku receives a mystical Dragonball as a gift from his grandfather. There are only six others like it in the whole world, and legend has it that whoever possesses all seven will be granted one perfect wish. When the arrival of a dark force triggers a tragedy, Goku and his companions are propelled into an epic quest to collect the seven Dragonballs and save the Earth from destruction.
What it’s like
Bright, flat studio lighting and glossy digital sheen give this live-action adaptation a plasticky, over-saturated look, with busy hand-to-hand fights filmed in quick cuts and close framing that often obscures the choreography. Its palette swings between drab, rain-dulled city greys and bursts of CGI energy blasts and fiery skies, while the score leans on bombastic orchestral swells and synth-tinged action cues. The mood is earnest but dreary, with long stretches of flat exposition in dim interiors and wooden line readings that drain the energy from its adventure. Pacing is lurching: quieter scenes of a teenager finding his strength give way to abrupt set-piece battles and a rushed quest across mostly studio-bound landscapes. Violence is moderate, mostly stylised martial-arts strikes and energy blasts with a few sharper moments of a villain's cruelty and a tragedy that drives the revenge arc; there is no gore and little sexual content. The result suits viewers who want an undemanding, campy sci-fi action film for a lazy evening or an ironic watch with friends, and fans of the source manga who don't mind a loose, uneven take on the material.
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