Dragonball

[Shaolinlueb]

i dont care. i am seeing this hunk of garbage opening day

[doug maverick]

same here. ill judge weather or not its a peice of ****. been of fan of dragon ball since the early 90's when thy showed it at like five o clock in the morning. wpix(now cw oh wait actually they just became wpix again at least in ny)

[GeneChing]

...you'll trash a trailer but you'll still go out to support the martial arts film on opening day. That's great for the industry. You guys are the salt of the earth, man. Seriously.

There's a ton of reviews on the newsfeeds this week. Been searching mostly for interviews with Chow or Jamie (Jamie just for SLL) but been coming up with a lot more on Emmy. She's been totally off my radar.

Actress turns placid beauty into power of a dragon
* April 9, 2009 - 10:34AM

Buffed biceps were not necessary when opera prodigy Emmy Rossum, at the tender age of seven, sang alongside Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo at New York's Metropolitan Opera.

Similarly, for her later roles in the 2004 sci-fi blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow and Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, she didn't have to learn martial arts kicks and punches or long-range sniper skills.

But, for the role of warrior Bulma in the new 20th Century Fox action adventure film Dragonball: Evolution, the beautiful actress with the deep brown eyes embarked on a painful gym regime, trained with martial arts experts and was taught by US Marines how to shoot targets hundreds of metres away.

Stunt men trained her how to ride a motorcycle at high speed.

It was all part of Dragonball: Evolution director James Wong's master plan to turn the delicate Rossum into a battle-ready warrior.

``The trainers were like: 'We don't care if you have big biceps or not. You will have big biceps by the end of this training','' Rossum, now 22, said during an interview in Los Angeles.

``It was about three-plus hours a day, six days a week, before we started filming.

``I remember I went to James and said: 'This is really intense'.

``He paused and said: 'I want you to be a real warrior. I want you to look like a warrior, walk like a warrior and think like a warrior'.

``They really did that to us.''

Rossum stars alongside Justin Chatwin, Yun-Fat Chow, Jamie Chung and James Marsters in the film adapted from Japan's popular manga action series, Dragon Ball.

More than 126 million volumes of the cartoon have been sold in Japan alone.

The film follows Bulma and the young warrior Goku, played by Chatwin, as they race to collect seven magical orbs before the evil King Piccolo does. The owner of the seven balls wields unlimited power.

Rossum has been a fan of the Dragonball comics and spin-off TV series since she was a youngster growing up in New York and performing on stage at the Met.

``I grew up watching the weekend cartoon for kids when I was eight and nine so I knew a little bit about Bulma,'' Rossum said.

``She was funny and had blue hair. That's what I remembered of her at least.''

Rossum was not the only cast member forced into a tough training regime before filming began.

San Francisco-born 25-year-old Chung, as the warrior Chi Chi, became proficient at tae kwon do.

``Each character was given a different style of fighting,'' Chung said.

``They wanted Chi Chi to be really tough, so tae kwon do was coordinated in with my training because it is known for its strong kicks and punches.

``When I wasn't shooting I was training.''

The male cast did not avoid punishment when the cameras were rolling.

``There is a scene where I was getting thrown around in a truck and there was metal poking out and I sliced my arm open,'' said Chatwin, lifting his arm to show a long scar.

Another scene required Chatwin and Marsters, who plays the evil Lord Picollo, to fly at high speed through the air held up by wires, collide and then shoot 50 metres skyward.

``It was a comedown when we finished shooting that's for sure,'' said Chatwin, revealing the two actors geared up for the sequence by guzzling Rockstar energy drinks.

Wong admitted he was under a lot of pressure to deliver a film that would live up to the high expectations of Dragonball's manga fans. That is why he demanded his actors train hard so they could perform most of their stunts.

``I know there are a lot of expectations from the fans of Dragonball,'' Wong said.

``I have expectations for the movie myself because I'm a fan.

``The difficult thing is I know I will disappoint a lot of people because the manga has so many great characters and such a rich storyline that it is impossible to please everybody.

``I know people who will be disappointed because their favourite character is not in it or favourite storyline isn't in it.''
Wong has his fingers crossed the film will be a hit and allow him to direct sequels so Dragonball's many other characters and storylines can be explored.

Dragonball: Evolution is playing in Australian cinemas.

[GeneChing]

"Hell hath no fury like an angry fanboy" ~ now that's a great quote.

So who will deliver the first DB review? Doug or SLL? I'm gonna put my money on Doug - he's got the east coast advantage. SLL will just say it's 'garbage' except for Jamie.

'Dragonball' star: 'No one wants to make a movie that people will hate'
07:25 AM PT, Apr 7 2009

Michelle Castillo has a report on "Dragonball Revolution," which, for right or wrong, may be the most-hated film of 2009 that hasn't even been released yet.

Dragonball Evolution Hell hath no fury like an angry fanboy. At least not when it comes to the box office.

"Dragonball Evolution" is set to hit U.S. theaters on April 10 but it's already reaching legendary status as the 2009 film fans love to hate on, at least as far as the Internet is concerned. The makers of the live-action film hoped to tap into a built-in audience by adapting the hugely popular manga epic that had already spawned three anime series, 17 animated feature films and three television specials. Fans all over the world love "Dragon Ball" but, well, it's a thin line between love and hate.

Across the web, fans have been bellowing their anger over the choices made by director James Wong ("The One," "Final Destination"), who was to looking to streamline and mainstream the "Dragon Ball" mythology, which follows Goku, a monkey-tailed Japanese boy, while he trains in martial arts and searches for the seven Dragon Balls that are said to grant the wish of the beholder.

Fans are frothing on YouTube about the casting, missing characters, the fight scenes and even the hair styles. This is serious stuff to devotees who have followed the manga franchise since it began in 1984 and have shown their allegiance by buying up the tie-in card game, the assorted video games, the apparel and other merch. On IMDB, one fan seemed to think a holy crime had been committed: "I could go on for hours about what they did wrong ... may God have mercy on their souls."

One of the stars, Jaime Chung, who plays Chi Chi, in the film, is asking the fans to give the movie a chance by perhaps waiting until it reaches the screen before putting it in the same category as "Catwoman" or "Speed Racer," two other Hollywood movies that took hand-drawn fanboy favorites and turned them into spectacular live-action bombs.

“I feel like all movies that adapt some sort of [material], whether it’s a book or a manga or a cartoon, into a film -- you’re going to have to take creative liberty in order to change it so that it works for a motion picture,” Chung said. “It’s never going to be the same, and you can’t satisfy everyone. What James Wong did was he adapted it in a way where it still stayed true to the 'Dragon Ball' series, with the essence of the characters,” said Chung, who is most famous for being one of the housemates in "The Real World: San Diego."

At 20th Century Fox, the studio behind the "Dragonball" film, there must be some executives missing the old days when fans just waited for a movie to be released before deciding its fate. The studio leadership watched in horror in recent days as a stolen, near-finished copy of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" became a torrid sensation on file-sharing sites. The FBI has stepped in but, like a man watching his gold coins scatter on a crowded street, the Fox team knows deep down that the damage is already done. (In a twist that will have execs groaning, fans claim that they downloaded illegal copies of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" solely to punish Fox for its "Dragonball" folly.)

Dragonbal Evolution 2 This is a new era of relationships between fans and studios. Warner Bros. had a muggle revolt last year when it abruptly postponed the sixth "Harry Potter" film for no reason beyond pure profit-positioning; frustrated fans came after Warner chairman Alan Horn and pledged boycotts when the film reaches theaters this summer. Fan debate raged also this year with the Warner film "Watchmen," the Holy Grail of serious comic-book films, but unlike the old days where a controversy might propel a film for weeks at theaters, this time the movie generated more Internet traffic than box-office receipts and second-week grosses plummeted 67%.

Chung, for one, has put full faith in Wong, who she believes has made some controversial changes in order to make the film a bit more mainstream to new viewers.

Among some of the major twists include setting the story to take place during Goku’s high school years, as well as casting a Caucasian actor in the role. Other facets that faced the chopping board were fan favorite characters such as Krillin, Tien, and Chaouzu, who were removed in order to make the mythology more manageable.

None of that compares to the change that has fans pulling their hair: What happened to Goku’s towering spikes? The hand-drawn Goku is instantly recognizable for his massive black spikes, which jut out from his head like he has an ebony agave plant growing from his head. Wong opted for a somewhat more mundane level of spikes for Justin Chatwin’s ("Taking Lives," "War of the Worlds") natural light-brown hair.

Dragonball Evolution 3 Chang, for one, said sometimes change is good: “I mean you can’t make it look ridiculous,” the actress said. “When you’re doing close-up shots, and he’s wearing a two- foot wig, it just looks ridiculous on film. It’s so different from something that’s from a cartoon to something that’s filming something on film. It’s a completely different world, and it was a huge challenge for James, and I feel like he really overcame.”

Chung also believes the cast was well chosen – despite the fact that they might not look like their traditional Japanese characters. The cast includes Asian superstar Chow Yun-Fat ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and Emmy Rossum ("Phantom of the Opera").

Chung said there are plenty of reasons for fans to give Wong's movie a chance, whether it's the high-intensity action scenes (shot with a Phantom HD camera for frame rapidity that slows combat for a closer view) or the care given to make sure each character got their own fighting style (Chung's Chi Chi, for instance, uses taekwondo, allowing her to “look pretty on the outside, but fight like a dude”).

In an unconventional move, "Dragonball" was released first in Asia (as early as March 12, 2008) and the film has done well despite bootleg copies hitting the market. The film passed the $22 million mark at the end of March, according to Box Office Mojo, and that without any screenings yet in South America, North America or most of Europe.

The reviews by non-believers have also been more kind; Variety's Russell Edwards wrote of the film: A popular Japanese manga series gets a pleasing if paint-by-numbers live-action makeover in "Dragonball Evolution," which half-heartedly tries to keep the faith for its pubescent male fan base."

Chung said "Dragonball" is just beginning its fight to win over fans.

"No one wants to make a movie that people will hate,” Chung said. “We really want people to enjoy the movie for what it really is and to come in with an open mind and to understand where James Wong was trying to come from. Regardless of whether or not the fans will agree with it, they will be entertained. It has so many great elements like a story of love and friendship, and it’s an adventure with loss and sacrifice and finding your inner strength and destiny. I don’t feel like there is a dull moment in this film.”

-- Michelle Castillo

[doug maverick]

yup planning on heading out tonight with the boys and some girl too.lol

[GeneChing]

Just checking...just checking.

But seriously, if anyone goes in costume, post some pics.

[doug maverick]

who the hell would i go ass mr.popo??????lmfao. no no costumes for me. the only movie im going dressed in costume for is michael mann's public enemies starring johnny depp

[AdrianK]

So was it as bad as Street Fighter? I'm still going to go see it, I guess.

[doug maverick]

i doubt if its that bad. that film was lame and aweful. didnt get the chance to see it yet, weekend just got away from me. may go tonight. unfortunately this movie was a big blow to martial arts film as it was a 100million dollar film that only gross 4.5million domestically.

[Shaolinlueb]

it came out? shoot i was away from everything this whole weekend. maybe tomorrow night i will see it.

[AdrianK]

Okay, I just saw it.

It was alright. It wasn't as utterly horrible as Street Fighter, but it wasn't all that entertaining either. The jump kicks were ridiculous, but the jokes were funny. The kid playing Goku was sometimes too nerdy and weak, but other times he kicked ass too, so i've got mixed feelings about him.

Honestly as a kids movie its at least entertaining enough.

[Shaolinlueb]

i am seeing it tonight.

[GeneChing]

Should have seen that coming.... thanks AdrianK!

There's a ton of reviews on the net now. Here's a few...

'Dragonball Evolution' hams it up for laughs
By ROGER MOORE, McClatchy
First published in print: Thursday, April 16, 2009

We've had to wait decades, enduring first subtitled Hong Kong films and later sputtering Hollywood attempts at turning him into a conventional Chinese character actor, for our first chance to see the great Chow Yun-Fat cut up the way he does in "Dragonball Evolution." Whatever the director (James Wong of "Final Destination") was going for, whatever the studio intended in this film adaptation of a beloved comic and video game, Chow saw his chance to chew the scenery. And he took it.

As Master Roshi, mystical martial arts master, owner of a dragonball and of late, trainer to young Goku (Justin Chatwin), Chow goes for the laughs, and lands them.

"Believe it punk, you're gonna get your clock cleaned," he says when we and Goku meet him. He mugs. He grins. His every move is a calculated bit of tomfoolery. And he's a stitch, almost the only reason to see this warmed-over Far Eastern fantasy.

The death of Goku's grandpa and an ancient prophecy that says Goku must gather all seven magical dragonballs lest the world face apocalypse now � or by the next total eclipse � has brought Goku to Roshi. The lad just turned 18, just turned the tables on the bullies at Unitech High and just scored points with Chi Chi (Jaime Chung). But now he's off gathering dragonballs with the six-shooting sidekick Bulma (Emmy Rossum). Roshi should come along for the ride. And the laughs.

It's a silly film that goes down a lot easier than it could thanks to an awareness of that silliness. A bandit straight out of "Road Warrior" (Joon Park) signs on. Roshi goes to seek another magical talisman from another master (Ernie Hudson of "Ghosbusters" at his most inscrutable) who tells Roshi his plan to save the Earth won't.

The villains are led by a demon, Lord Piccolo, with Jim Carrey's Mask make-up (James Marsters). The effects involve a lot of swirling balls of light, big explosions and a very convincing house collapse. There's a lot of talk of legends and "airbenders" (an anime, manga and Asian fantasy convention). The settings are exotic corners of modern or remote China, glossed over in a sort of alternate sci-fi reality. The fights, though, are classic Hong Kong wire-work zany.

It's perfectly watchable junk.

REVIEW: 'Dragonball' could be worst movie of the year
Linda Cook | Posted: Monday, April 13, 2009 2:15 pm
"DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION"

0 stars
Rated: PG for martial arts-type violence
Running time: One hour and 30 minutes

A contender for the worst movie of the year was released recently. So those of you who do "worst movie of the year" lists might want to jot down the title of "Dragonball: Evolution" for your consideration.

You also might want to know a little bit about the history of this terrible film before you begin compiling your list.

Manga are illustrated Asian novels and cartoons. These stories, which cover a wide variety of topics, are printed by the thousands. "Dragonball: Evolution" is based on a popular manga series. Maybe it could have been presented as anime (Japanese animation), but as a live-acton movie, this is just incredibly awful.

Hundreds of years ago, so the story goes, the alien/demon Lord Piccolo (James Marsters) wanted to destroy the world, but he was imprisoned. Got that? Now, in the present day, Goku (Justin Chatwin) is being trained by his grandfather, who gives Goku a dragonball as his 18th birthday gift. Grandpa (Randall Duk Kim) is a martial arts master who promises Goku that "all will be revealed" about the young man's past and purpose on his 18th birthday.

There are these seven dragonballs, see, and the now-freed Lord Piccolo wants to get his hands on them so he can take over, of course. That's because if you have possession of the seven dragonballs, you will be granted "one perfect wish," whatever that means. Goku is aided by various assistants, including characters portrayed by Chow Yun-Fat as Master Rochi and Emmy Rossum as Bulma, a girl who has developed a dragonball detector and wants a certain dragonball for herself.

Goku is ridiculed at school. Bullies run over his scooter, mock him to his face and try to pick fights. Little do they realize this young man is operating on a vastly higher plane than they are.

Powers come and go as the plot lurches along. For example, I never did figure out why a group remains trapped in a pit when one of them suddenly rises out of it.

The acting is questionable at best, despite the appearance of some terrific performers. I had the feeling these actors had to keep things moving to stay within budget constraints.

This is supposed to be an exciting movie with lots of action. Instead, it's dull as can be. And just think: Another snoozefest is on the way, judging from the sequel set-up at the end.

Playing marbles would be more fun than watching another dragonball show.

[Shaolinlueb]

gene you going to believe a bunch of people who write for a living and look for oscar performances in every movie or a bunch of guys who dont care and will only write good things if they have fun or not there? seriously.

i dont read reviews for that reason.

but they were right about the 2nd star wars movie

[Shaolinlueb]

ok so i saw this movie.

i went in with low expectations with the way everyone was talking about it. i came out and enjoyed what i saw.

here is my background on dragon ball.

saw some of dragon ball, pieces of dbz, and all of db gt.

when i was growing up it wasnt on. not until highschool when we finally got cartoon network did i first see dragon ball.

the movie itself.

yeah the kid was too nerdy sometimes.

the women were ****s!!! especially my girl jamie chung. her character chi chi was getting all moist seeing goku kick ass and talk about chi.

the movie at times felt rushed. but it had some good stuff like "believe in yourself!" although i would question the message it sends to little girls which is "be all over the guy who kicks ass for your love".

other then that i went in with zero expectations and came out liking it.


edit*
i was on the can thinking about it some more. and here is what i got. (your welcome for the imagery)

when they introduced master roshi, he was looking at bikini quarterly and drinking beer, trying to get cheep feels off of bulma. as the situation got more serious he became more serious then at the end he was joking around again.

the form for the fighters looked like crap. choy yun fat faked it pretty good. (we know he has little to no training in martial arts. maybe some from CTHD)

the main character and jamie chung you could tell they have little to no training and to a trained eye, couldnt fake it well. it was laughable at times but i took it with a grain of salt.

the fight scene's, well read my above post, you want them good? they all moved like they trained in tkd at a mcdojo.

but i knew it wasn't going to be "as good as" the series. (which wasnt that good in the first place) I liked it.