Dragonball: Evolution Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A high schooler discovers he’s secretly an alien monkey-man destined to stop a green guy from collecting wish-granting orbs, all while trying to get a date.

🍿 Dragonball: Evolution: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Goku’s Ordinary Life Interrupted

The film opens with Goku, an 18-year-old high school student, living with his grandfather Gohan. Goku is an outcast, struggling to fit in and harboring a crush on Chi-Chi. On his birthday, Gohan gives Goku a Dragonball and tells him about the impending threat of Lord Piccolo, who seeks to use the Dragonballs for world domination.

Piccolo’s Rise and Gohan’s Sacrifice

Lord Piccolo, an ancient demon, awakens and begins his quest to gather the Dragonballs. He attacks Gohan’s house, mortally wounding him. Before passing, Gohan instructs Goku to seek out Master Roshi, a martial arts master who can guide him in harnessing his hidden powers.

The Journey to Find the Dragonballs

Goku embarks on his journey, encountering Bulma, a scientist searching for the Dragonballs for her own reasons. They team up, later joined by Yamcha, a desert bandit. Together, they seek Master Roshi and the remaining Dragonballs, racing against Piccolo and his henchwoman, Mai.

Training and Revelation

The trio finds Master Roshi, who begins training Goku in martial arts and reveals Goku’s Saiyan heritage. He explains that Goku’s destiny is to protect Earth from Piccolo. The group continues their quest, facing Piccolo’s forces and learning more about the Dragonballs’ power.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Goku (Justin Chatwin): A young warrior destined to protect the Earth from evil, embarks on a quest to collect the Dragon Balls and master his martial arts skills.
• Lord Piccolo (James Marsters): A vengeful demon king seeks to dominate the world by obtaining the Dragon Balls and unleashing chaos.
• Roshi (Chow Yun-Fat): A wise and eccentric martial arts master mentors Goku in his quest to become a powerful warrior.
• Bulma (Emmy Rossum): A determined and intelligent scientist joins Goku on his journey, using her inventions to locate the Dragon Balls.
• Chi Chi (Jamie Chung): A skilled martial artist and Goku’s classmate, she serves as a love interest and source of motivation.
• Yamcha (Joon Park): A desert bandit who initially seeks to profit from the Dragon Balls but eventually joins Goku’s team.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Gohan: “The first rule, there are no rules.” – Gohan says this to Goku during a training session, encapsulating their unconventional martial arts approach.
• Roshi: “You must become water.” – Roshi imparts this wisdom to Goku, emphasizing adaptability and fluidity in combat.
• Goku: “Kamehameha!” – Goku shouts the iconic move’s name as he unleashes the energy blast to defeat Piccolo.
• Piccolo: “I want those Dragonballs!” – Piccolo states his main goal in a generic villainous way.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $30,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $9,362,785
• Worldwide Gross: $55,720,772

💥 Dragonball: Evolution Reviews

Personal Review

As a long-time Dragon Ball fan, I went in with extremely low expectations, and it *still* managed to disappoint. The characters felt off, the story was rushed, and the special effects, while decent, couldn’t save it. It felt like a generic action movie with the Dragon Ball name slapped on. The Oozaru transformation was particularly jarring. Overall, I wish I could erase it from my memory.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of martial arts movies”
  • “Viewers new to the Dragonball franchise”
  • “Casual viewers seeking a simple action film”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Martial arts violence”
  • “Mild language”
  • “Some suggestive humor”

Professional Reviews

• Anime News Network: “The fans were right. A hackneyed storyline and lackluster effort by the actors leads to Dragonball’s most brutal adaptation. Might be fun when you’re hammered and surrounded by friends. Or suicidal, and need something to push you over the edge.
• D-Man2010: “The film’s abundance of martial arts should please younger and less discerning viewers, but its hackneyed dialogue and sluggish pace may disappoint longtime fans. CGI effects fall short, though the cast is game, especially Marsters and Chow.

Audience Reactions

Some found the film entertaining for younger audiences unfamiliar with the source material.: Enthusiastic support from youngsters

Overall Consensus: Universally panned by critics and fans alike, Dragonball: Evolution is considered a major disappointment and a poor adaptation of the beloved anime/manga series.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, was initially supportive but later expressed disappointment with the film, regretting his lack of creative control.”
• “Stephen Chow, known for his comedic martial arts films like ‘Kung Fu Hustle,’ served as a producer, but his influence didn’t translate into the film’s overall tone or quality.”
• “The film was intended to be the first in a series, but due to its poor reception, no sequels were ever made.”
• “Numerous fans launched online petitions and campaigns to protest the film’s production and release, citing concerns about its faithfulness to the source material.”
• “The UK release was cut to obtain a PG rating, with edits made to violence and horror effects.”

🖥️ How to Watch Dragonball: Evolution?

Dragonball: Evolution is available for rent or purchase on various digital platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your preferred streaming service for availability and pricing. Physical copies on Blu-ray and DVD can also be found through online retailers like Amazon and at major stores.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Dragonball: Evolution, you might like these similar films:

• Street Fighter (1994): Another widely criticized live-action adaptation of a beloved fighting game franchise, suffering from similar issues of tone and character misrepresentation.
• The Last Airbender (2010): A live-action adaptation of an animated series that failed to capture the spirit and essence of the source material, disappointing fans with its poor writing and direction.
• Kung Fu Hustle (2004): A martial arts comedy with over-the-top action and special effects, offering a more enjoyable and faithful representation of the Dragon Ball spirit, despite being a different story.
• Power Rangers (2017): A modern attempt to adapt a popular children’s show, with mixed success but a similar focus on action and teamwork.
• Mortal Kombat (1995): An earlier attempt to turn a martial arts game into a movie franchise.

🛒 Dragonball: Evolution Related Products

• Dragon Ball Z: Dragon Box DVD Set: Relive the original Dragon Ball Z anime series in high quality. A must-have for any true fan who wants to experience the source material in its original glory.
• Dragon Ball FighterZ (PlayStation 4): A critically acclaimed 2.5D fighting game with stunning visuals and a deep roster of characters from the Dragon Ball universe. Experience epic battles and master iconic moves.
• Dragon Ball Z Funko Pop! Figures: Collect your favorite Dragon Ball Z characters in Funko Pop! form. A fun and affordable way to display your love for the series.
• Dragon Ball Z Complete Manga Box Set: Own the entire Dragon Ball Z manga series in a premium box set. Includes all 26 volumes of Akira Toriyama’s iconic artwork.

🎧 Soundtrack

Dragonball: Evolution features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Rule” – performed by Ayumi Hamasaki
• “Unknown” – performed by Brian Tyler

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Honest Trailers – Dragonball Evolution (Feat. TeamFourStar)

Oh man, Dragonball Evolution… remember that? Screen Junkies tears it apart in this hilarious ‘Honest Trailer’ and honestly, it’s the perfect way to laugh at how bad it really was. You gotta see it!

Dragonball Evolution is One of the Worst Movies Ever

Ever wonder just *how* bad Dragonball Evolution actually was? Penguinz0 doesn’t hold back in this rant, calling it one of the worst movies ever. Get ready for some brutal honesty and a whole lotta laughs.

Dragonball Evolution Pitch Meeting

Ever wondered what kind of insane meeting led to Dragonball Evolution getting made? Screen Rant’s ‘Pitch Meeting’ nails it. It’s so bad, it’s hilarious, and you’ll be saying ‘Wow wow wow… WOW!’ by the end.

Dragonball Evolution – What Happened?

Want to know the *real* story behind the Dragonball Evolution disaster? Matt McMuscles breaks down exactly what went wrong in this deep dive into the movie’s development. It’s a fascinating (and kinda sad) look at a film that could have been.

✨ Rate