Dragonball Evolution 2009

Dragonball: Evolution

Critics Consensus

Executed with little panache or invention, Dragonball Evolution lacks the magic that made the books upon which it was based a cult sensation.

15%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 61

20%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 210,202

Where to watch

Other Movies

Rate And Review

User image

Verified

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Step 2 of 2

    How did you buy your ticket?

    Let's get your review verified.

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

    You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • How did you buy your ticket?

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

Dragonball: Evolution Photos

View All Photos (28)

Movie Info

On his 18th birthday, Goku (Justin Chatwin) receives a mystical Dragonball as a gift from his grandfather. There are only six others like it in the whole world, and legend has it that whomever possesses all seven will be granted one perfect wish. When the arrival of a dark force triggers a tragedy, Goku and his companions (Chow Yun-Fat, Emmy Rossum) are propelled into an epic quest to collect the seven Dragonballs and save the Earth from destruction.
  • Rating:
    PG (Intense Sequences of Action|Brief Mild Language|Intense Sequences of Violence)
  • Genre:
    action, adventure, fantasy
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    James Wong
  • Producer:
    Stephen Chow
  • Writer:
    Ben Ramsey
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $$9,353,573
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    Star Overseas

Cast

Justin Chatwin
as Goku
James Marsters
as Lord Piccolo
Jamie Chung
as Chi Chi
Emmy Rossum
as Bulma
Eriko
as Mai
Eriko Tamura
as Mai
Joon Park
as Yamcha
Yun-Fat Chow
as Master Roshi
Randall Duk Kim
as Grandpa Gohan
Luis Arrieta
as Teto
Ernie Hudson
as Sifu Norris
Texas Battle
as Carey Fuller
Megumi Seki
as Seki
Ian Whyte
as Oozaru
Jon Valera
as Moreno
View All

News & Interviews for Dragonball Evolution

Weekly Ketchup: Dragonball, Hangover sequels announced
Critics Consensus: Hannah Montana Hits A Flat Note
Five Favourite Films with James Marsters
View All

Critic Reviews for Dragonball Evolution

All Critics (61) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (9) | Rotten (52)

  • Quote not available.

    November 16, 2011 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…

    Drew Toal

    Time Out
    Top Critic

  • A rather tame live-action sci-fi flick.

    April 17, 2009 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…

    Anthony Quinn

    Independent (UK)
    Top Critic

  • The producer, Stephen Chow, made the funny and original Kung Fu Hustle, but here he and director James Wong get into a terrible mess.

    April 17, 2009 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…
    London Evening Standard
    Top Critic

  • Evolution is far more entertaining than it deserves to be, unless you're a 10-year-old boy, in which case it's only the greatest movie ever made.

    April 13, 2009 | Full Review…

    Aaron Hillis

    Village Voice
    Top Critic

  • There are a few entertaining fight scenes. But there is also uneven CGI, bad dialogue and a host of clichd moments that make Dragonball Evolution just another disappointing matinee movie.

    April 13, 2009 | Rating: 1/4

    Jennie Punter

    Globe and Mail
    Top Critic

  • The film is crammed with treats for old-school Dragonball fans. For everyone else, this amounts to another seen-it-before, probably-willing-to-see-it-again distraction, a passable collection of 'splosions and special effects for a slow film weekend.

    April 13, 2009 | Rating: C- | Full Review…

    Tasha Robinson

    AV Club
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (61)

Audience Reviews for Dragonball Evolution

  • Dec 26, 2015
    Don't worry, people. I bet they won't make another sequel ever again due to how messy this film was and there's obviously no way they can ruin Dragon Ball Z for good.
    EpicLadySponge t Super Reviewer
  • Aug 06, 2012
    The phrase "worst movie ever" is thrown around a lot, but every so often a movie like Dragonball: Evolution comes along with that special something that shows us all what a truly awful movie is. The thing is complete trash from opening scene to end credits. It's astonishingly bad in every conceivable way. Dragonball: Evolution is an appalling, horrendous piece of garbage that embarrasses itself.
    Dann M Super Reviewer
  • Jul 25, 2012
    MY GOD. There is funny bad (Like "The Room"), there is offensive bad (Like "North") and there is obscenely disgusting. This. This is the Hitler of japanese-made-american movies. Their personalities are apocalyptically wrong, the cast is SO wrong. The history is so bad I screamed at the end of the movie and almost cried. Never had I seen a movie that failed in every aspect: Casting. Wardrobe. Effects. History. Music. Congratulations, you got an EPIC FAIL. I think the problem most people have with this movie is that is based on GOD-SENT-TO-EARTH EPICNESS. And they made it SHIT. A 10 year old kid would make a more accurate Dragon Ball movie. I don't know how Akira Toriyama allowed them to DARE to use the name.
    Mark S Super Reviewer
  • Nov 08, 2011
    It is bad, and is worse when compared with the original series, the film grabbed the elements of the series and ruined.
    Rodrigo R Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

Dragonball Evolution Quotes

View All Quotes

Movie & TV guides