# The Dragonball Movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944 "2009-01-12T17:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/1 "2009-01-12T17:58:46Z")
I had high hopes for this. Wait, no. I had almost no hopes for this. I had a glimmer of something which might in some alternate universe have resembled a hope. However, what this movie actually appears to be is not merely bad, but a nightmarishly awful destruction of everything good about Dragonball and Z. The problems: First, Shia LeBouf is a problem, though he’s not per se bad. He is quite effective in certain roles. I didn’t mind in the Transformers movie, where he was relatively ordinary and didn’t detract from the overall story. However, he is not an action star and probably won’t be for a good many years, if ever. He doesn’t have the build and his attempts to look fearsome merely make him look retarded and constipated. I don’t blame him. He is, for some ungodly reason, heavily in demand and he wants to ride it as far as he can. Good for him. Two, no Krillin. This is actually bad because Krillin was always more accesible to the audience than some other characters. He’s cunning, funny, and strong. He always played well off the innocent, amiable dunce Goku. And it’d be nice to see a real buddy movie. Three, Piccolo. Well, Piccolo did look silly. That was part fo the charm. The new Piccolo is OK, but… he looks like a man with a skin condition pretending not to be a man with a skin condition. He looks like a cheap alien from Star Trek (the original series) or an old Dr. Who episode. Four, Bulma should be involved, but… she really shouldn’t be waving guns around and shooting things like this was western. Guns don’t work real well. Fifth, the whole thing just seems to have totally lost the charm of DB. Dragonball, depsite the probable death of civilization on a weekly basis, was ultimately a whinsical, magical world of relative innocence. This movie is trying to hard. The tech is fun and silly, it’s “cool” and slick. What is not a problem: White vs. Asian actors. This is not a big deal, people. Dragonball was not about Japanese people. Heck, most of them were aliens, and they actually borrowed more from Japan than the humans. Earth-people (the ones who were not talking animals) actually seemed to me to be pretty generic. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/2 "2009-01-12T18:08:41Z")
Buh? [Shia LaBeouf](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0479471/) has nothing to do with Dragonball… Unless I’m missing something? ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/3 "2009-01-12T18:15:12Z")
I assume that the OP meant that Shia LeBouf’s very existence is so objectionable, he destroys action films that he’s never even been associated with. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/4 "2009-01-12T18:46:32Z")
Ah, you’re right. OK, Shia LeBouf, Justin Chatwick, that kid from the movie with Jet Li and Jackie Chan - they all look alike to me. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/5 "2009-01-12T19:00:58Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Ah, you’re right. OK, Shia LeBouf, Justin Chatwick, that kid from the movie with Jet Li and Jackie Chan - they all look alike to me. …That’s the same guy?I hate hate hated him in Forbidden Kingdom! Well, no chance of me even watching Dragonball for the “so bad it’s funny” factor. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/6 "2009-01-12T19:07:29Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > …That’s the same guy?I hate hate hated him in Forbidden Kingdom! Well, no chance of me even watching Dragonball for the “so bad it’s funny” factor. No, it’s not the same guy. It’s just that they all look and act alike to me. ANyway, this thread is pretty much shot. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/7 "2009-01-12T20:11:02Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > No, it’s not the same guy. It’s just that they all look and act alike to me. So what you’re basically saying is all white people look alike to you? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/8 "2009-01-12T20:25:50Z")
Looks like it might be a fun movie, but doesn’t feel like Dragonball much at all. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/9 "2009-01-13T07:58:04Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > I assume that the OP meant that Shia LeBouf’s very existence is so objectionable, he destroys action films that he’s never even been associated with. This made me laugh out loud…hard. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/10 "2009-01-13T14:09:44Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > I assume that the OP meant that Shia LeBouf’s very existence is so objectionable, he destroys action films that he’s never even been associated with. Which is why since LeBouf has started appearing in films I’ve advocated taking off and nuking the planet from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![satoridt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@satoridt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/satoridt)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/11 "2009-04-14T02:11:30Z")
Saw the movie. It was terrible. Never thought it would be good, but I had high hopes for it in the “so bad its good” category. nope. nothing even remotely praiseworthy in it. It fucks with the DB universe, it doesn’t make any sense to a non DB fan, it will literally appeal to no one. Damn, i would have loved to be wrong, i thought Speed Racer was amazing so i know a good anime movie can be done. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/12 "2009-04-14T03:04:13Z")
Yeah, the acting was laughably bad. It really drove home what Roger Ebert said, “no bad movie is short enough.” This was a looong movie. I was appalled halfway though when I realized that the girl was Emmy Rossum. She was so good in Passionada… ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/13 "2009-04-14T03:10:10Z")
Did this movie even have a promotional campaign? Like, at all? The first I knew it had even been released is when I saw it on the marquee this weekend when I went to see _Observe and Report_. I saw no posters, no television spots, no trailers before other action movies. I haven’t even heard of a tie-in video game or anything. Did I miss a bunch of promotion, or was this movie really sent out to die? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/14 "2009-04-14T03:19:53Z")
I’ve seen a few ad spots. It’s a bunch of rapid-fire clips with no explanation of what the movie is about (not even any focus on the fighting fer cryinoutloud). But no, not many ad spots. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/15 "2009-04-14T03:24:36Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Four, Bulma should be involved, but… she really shouldn’t be waving guns around and shooting things like this was western. Guns don’t work real well. Bulma did have a gun in DB, I mean, it probably was badly used in the movie (haven’t seen it yet), but IIRC she shot Goku in the head with a pistol a few dozen times early on in the series (or maybe in a movie). Doesn’t change the fact that in the DB universe guns should be about as effective as throwing popcorn seeds at people… > [@shy\_guy](#): > > Did this movie even have a promotional campaign? Like, at all? The first I knew it had even been released is when I saw it on the marquee this weekend when I went to see _Observe and Report_. I saw no posters, no television spots, no trailers before other action movies. I haven’t even heard of a tie-in video game or anything. > > Did I miss a bunch of promotion, or was this movie really sent out to die? I saw a lot of promotion on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, as well as Anime-sy corners of the web, but that’s about it. Edit: I’ll see it soon, but my number one complaint is how serious it all looks. I mean, we’re talking about a series where the main character’s “grandpa” (and, later, his son) is named the Japanese word for (roughly) “meal,” and an entire race of people named after terrible vegetable puns. Goku was always likable funny and ditzy too, not emo as they play him off to be in the trailers. ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/16 "2009-04-14T14:55:00Z")
It sucked. Look, I know nothing about the Dragonball universe, or story. But I’m happy with some mystical Kung-fu and whopass aliens. I actually didn’t mind the first Mortal Kombat for example. But this was just terrible. I don’t know of Jet Li is bad up for money or what, but I have no idea why he agreed to be in this thing. Look, I can go with not getting every nuance of a film if I’m not a fan of the work upon which it is based, but I had no idea what the hell this thing was even about. And for crying out loud, “Air Bending”? Rip off much from other anime shows? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/17 "2009-04-14T18:24:17Z")
> [@Atrael](#): > > Look, I can go with not getting every nuance of a film if I’m not a fan of the work upon which it is based, but I had no idea what the hell this thing was even about. To be fair, we fans apparently wouldn’t understand the movie, either. 😃 > [@](#): > > And for crying out loud, “Air Bending”? Rip off much from other anime shows? Oh, please, tell me they did not bring that one up? ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/18 "2009-04-14T19:23:24Z")
Yep…I would have been ok with “The four elements” type of mystical powered kung-fu. That sort of thing is found all over the place, but when they specifically said “Air Bending”, that sort of ticked me off. Mostly because _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is such a great show. But also because it’s just lazy. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragonball-movie/480944/19 "2009-04-15T20:40:52Z")
Man, that Jamie Chung is good looking, though, huh? –Cliffy