3.5 | / 10 |
Users | 2.6 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Goku and a handful of friends battle for the Earth against the deadly forces of the Saiyans, who are sweeping across the universe, leaving a path of destruction. Goku and his friends' best chance for survival rests with the Namekian DragonBalls, which provide them the power to summon a mighty dragon.
Starring: Justin Chatwin, Chow Yun-Fat, Emmy Rossum, Jamie Chung, James MarstersAction | 100% |
Fantasy | 69% |
Adventure | 65% |
Sci-Fi | 56% |
Comic book | 46% |
Martial arts | 31% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, Portuguese, Spanish, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional)
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy (on disc)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The first rule is: there are no rules.
When one of a movie's establishing shots looks partway up a character's nose, it's easy to predict
trouble on the horizon. Indeed, Dragonball Evolution, the live-action film based on the
universe as set forth in the collection of Japanese Manga and, later, Anime films, doesn't surprise
in
its storytelling futility. With a confused timeline, shoddily-developed characters, poor acting, and
an
awkward script, the film never gels and delivers plenty of unintentional humor in the form of
ridiculous
performances and questionable dialogue instead of well-played enchanted martial arts action and
serious
storytelling properties. As to whether or not Dragonball Evolution does well to immerse
audiences in the long-standing tradition of its namesake's roots, that's for someone far better
versed in its rich
history to decide. As to how well the film introduces newcomers to its universe -- or at least the
universe as depicted in this film -- Dragonball Evolution will likely confuse viewers with its
initial
barrage of people, places, things, and events, but the film fleshes out the details sufficiently
enough so
most
anyone can keep up with the basic plot line.
The poser hero shot.
Dragonball Evolution debuts on Blu-ray with a high quality 1080p transfer framed in the film's theatrical 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The film's opening tightrope training sequence leaves something to be desired. Offering red flesh tones, moderate detail, and a washed out, overly bright, almost glowing image, the sequence just doesn't offer any visual appeal, but fortunately the scene turns out to be the exception to the rule. Generally, Dragonball Evolution looks fantastic, with excellent detail in clothing, sidewalks, desert terrains, varied interiors, and close-up shots; eye-popping yet warm colors; and a solid level of visible depth. Some shots stand out as particularly excellent and representative of the transfer's quality. Several extreme slow-motion shots of broken glass and splashing water allows the viewer to soak in the very minute details of the small objects, each one appearing as a very well-defined individual. Likewise, a close-up shot of small pebbles in chapter six appears positively stunning in texture and absolute definition. The transfer does see some unsightly banding in a few places, and blacks occasionally take on a brighter-than-optimal appearance. Otherwise, Dragonball Evolution represents another upper-tier visual release from 20th Century Fox.
Dragonball Evolution dishes out an aggressive DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Offering crisp, strong dialogue; bass that tends to reverberate through the gut; and a crystal-clear presentation of music and sound effects, there's not much to be disappointed about with this one. The track features a consistently solid low end that's present in both music and sound effects; it never overextends itself but instead delivers a consistently strong but not incredibly powerful level of bass that's sure to please demanding listeners. The destruction of a structure in chapter six, for instance, throws sounds in a logical directional pattern that accompanies the crumbling wood and the subsequent thud serves up a hefty amount of punch. The track also creates a solid atmosphere; a party scene in chapter five features the sounds of running water, music, and partygoer chatter all around the soundstage, with the rear channels delivering some of the ambience. The action scenes, too, tend to feature plenty of discrete, supportive, and atmospheric effects that flow from the back channels. Dragonball Evolution delivers exactly the kind of sonic experience expected of it: a dynamic yet inviting and clear presentation that makes excellent use of the entire soundstage. This is another fine offering from 20th Century Fox.
Dragonball Evolution rounds up a few bonus features. Goku's Quest Game tasks viewers with pressing the red button on their remote controls whenever a Dragonball icon appears on-screen. Next up are eight deleted and extended scenes (1080p, 11:10). Goku's Workout (1080p, 4:50) begins with a "do not try this at home" disclaimer and proceeds to demonstrate some of the moves as seen in the film. Fox Movie Channel Presents: Making a Scene (480p, 9:27) looks at the process of preparing for and shooting one of the film's fight scenes. The piece features plenty of cast and crew interview snippets and behind-the-scenes video clips. Fox Movie Channel Presents: Life After Film School With Justin Chatwin (480p, 24:57) is next, an extended interview piece with the star of Dragonball Evolution. Also included is the Brian Anthony music video "Worked Up" (1080p, 3:21) and a gag reel (1080i, 2:23). Disc two of this set contains a digital copy of Dragonball Evolution. Sampled on a second generation iPod Touch, the video offers solid detail and strong colors but does suffer from some noticeable, but only moderately distracting, banding and blocking in backgrounds and darker scenes. The audio is sufficient if not a bit underwhelming, with good dialogue reproduction, decent directional effects, and a fair presentation of the score.
Though not a total loss, Dragonball Evolution comes close. The film offers good production values, nice looking sets, and fair if not recycled special effects, but the awful acting, somewhat hard-to-follow story line, and confused structure make Dragonball Evolution another example of the futility of style over substance while also adding another name to the growing list of disappointing pictures based on otherwise highly-acclaimed series. 20th Century Fox's Blu-ray release does do the film justice. Offering the expected high quality 1080p transfer, an aggressive lossless soundtrack, and a few extras, Dragonball Evolution might be worth a rental should the selection at the video store be picked over on a particularly busy weekend.
2017
Extended and Theatrical versions
2011
2013
2007
2006 Original Release
2006
2017
2015
2016
Cinematic Universe Edition
2012
2011
2015
The Richard Donner Cut 4K
1980
Extended TV Cut & Special Edition
1978
Cinematic Universe Edition
2018
2019
Cinematic Universe Edition
2019
2014
2006
2008
2018