Let's get this straight off the bat. I'm not a colossal fan of the Dragon Ball series from its range of books, television shows, and merchandise. However, I find its characters to be appealing for what it is. There are many outrageous colorful battles across plains of land that demolish anything in the way. The unique Super Saiyan concept that gives thrills of praising excitement from the audience. A mix of comedy and drama intensifies the interpretation of good versus evil. Those are some examples of why I believe Dragon Ball is a popular series among many people, through my own interpretation. Yet I didn't see much of that in the big screen adaptation, Dragon Ball Evolution.
To sum it up, Lord Piccolo wants to summon the Dragon Shen Long so he can have a wish to do evil. In order for this to happen, he needs some dragon balls but fails to confinement by monks. Goku comes into the movie many years later and attains a dragon ball from his grandfather. He then goes to a party to see Chi Chi, however leaves his grandfather alone to be killed by Piccolo. Goku meets Bulma Briefs who is also searching for dragon balls so they set out to find Master Roshi. They get sidetracked for a moment where they find Yamcha as he joins the team. After Mai, Piccolo's servant, steals the dragon balls from them, Piccolo is a step ahead into conjuring Shen Long. After a climatic battle scene, without spoiling some parts, they defeat Piccolo and an ending insuring a sequel closes.
Now this is my opinion. I know some people that love the Dragon Ball series and believe it can never be made into a movie if preserved its content. I agree, yet I also believe with the right actors, budget, production team, and especially the director it can be a good movie adaptation. Stephen Chow's Shoalin Soccer was a great inspiration for me, because I thought he can make a good Dragon Ball movie as a producer. It didn't turn out that way after all.
In the movie, Goku could not act from who knows why. When his grandfather died he didn't show enough emotion as if he didn't really care that his grandfather just died. His relationship with Chi Chi isn't memorable to be in a film romances list. Justin Chatwin's translation of Goku is far beyond the Goku I adored in the series. Most of all, there was a particular scene of Goku meeting master Roshi for the first time. When Goku exchanged lines, he mumbled and jumbled his words. I don't know if they forgot to edit this movie, but there were also other inaccuracies. Chi Chi's party was the same day as Goku's birthday. Goku sneaked out of the house while his grandfather looked for him to give him an eighteenth birthday cake. When Goku and Chi Chi were alone at her place, Goku mentions that it's his birthday. He then tells her that every year he celebrates it with his grandfather. So why the heck would he leave his grandfather hanging, especially since it's his special eighteenth birthday and blatantly tell Chi Chi? Another inaccuracy is that they never explained how Piccolo got out of his magical prison to wreck havoc once more. On the other hand, Piccolo looks like the monster from Jeepers Creepers. Above all else, they never explained why the title itself has anything to do with evolution?
Therefore, the only enjoyment from this movie was my laughter at its horrible presentation of the Dragon Ball series. Maybe the writers messed up due to the strike, maybe the director was drunk making the film, and maybe some people were right all along. Dragon Ball was never meant to be made into a live-action film adaptation. There is one thing I do know. Jamie Chung, who portrays Chi Chi, is sensuous =)
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