--- title: "Dragonball Evolution: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/dragonball-evolution/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/dragonball-evolution" critics_score: 34 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Dragonball Evolution (2009): what the critics said Critics' score 34 from 12 reviews: 0 positive, 4 mixed, 8 negative. Most critics find Dragonball Evolution a bland, confused adaptation that strips away the source material’s appeal without giving newcomers much reason to care. Reservations cluster around the thin story, hurriedly explained mythology and generic Hollywood teen-adventure formula, with several reviews also faulting the effects and action. Praise is limited but recurring: the brisk pace, occasional laughs and cast’s commitment make it tolerable for some, while a few find the fights serviceable. The spread runs from qualified enjoyment to outright dismissal, with disagreement over whether younger viewers will find enough entertainment here. Variety offers the warmest response, praising Chow Yun-fat’s comic relief and the battles while acknowledging a formulaic approach. The New York Times likewise enjoys the goofy kung fu adventure and treats its second-rate effects as part of the fun; harsher reviews see cheapness and incoherence, with little appeal for either established fans or newcomers. ## Variety — Russell Edwards Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 25 March 2009. Festival review. The review calls it a pleasing if paint-by-numbers live-action version that half-heartedly tries to keep faith with its young male fanbase and should do solid business with established fans. It praises Chow Yun-fat's hammy comic relief and the battle scenes while noting some production haste and that it avoids campiness. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2009/film/reviews/dragonball-evolution-1200474020/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2009. The film could have been a lot worse; it resembles a souped-up episode of Power Rangers with a condensed Hollywoodised manga story full of trading-card mythology. The cast takes it seriously and the pace just about holds interest for its target audience, making it almost funny and exciting in patches. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/apr/10/dragonball-evolution-film-review) ## The New York Times — Nathan Lee Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2009. The critic finds the film a goofy, unserious teenybopper kung fu adventure perfectly aimed at 10-year-old boys, even if it may not satisfy franchise fans. He singles out the second-rate special effects and Stephen Chow's producing touch for adding to the fun of the shenanigans. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/movies/11drag.html) ## The AV Club — Tasha Robinson Rating C-. 10 April 2009. The film feels polished but generic, competently but unimaginatively drawn from decades of special-effects movies focused on action over plot. It works as a passable collection of explosions for fans or a slow weekend distraction but offers nothing new. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/dragonball-evolution-1798206038) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 8 April 2009. The critic finds the film a bland adaptation that fails to capture the appeal of the source material despite some okay fight scenes and a twist. They single out the mismatch with the loyal fanbase and lack of crossover potential as key issues. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/dragonball-evolution-review/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 24 March 2009. Festival review. The critic deems the film puerile children's sci-fi of strictly B-movie standard and a bland Hollywood dumbing-down of the source material. They single out the underdeveloped spiritual elements and summarily presented mythology. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/dragonball-evolution/4043768.article) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The review criticizes the film as a terrible mess despite the producer's previous work, noting it doesn't appeal even to the target teen audience. It singles out the failed attempt to adapt Japanese manga into live-action as the core problem. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/manga-comics-come-to-life-dragon-evolution-7413710.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — The Associated Press Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 15 April 2009. The adaptation will displease fans and baffle newcomers with its lack of visual, narrative or stylistic coherence, cheap effects, poorly staged action and problematic casting. A post-credits scene hints at a sequel that seems unlikely. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/dragonball-evolution-film-review-82363/) ## Time Out — David Jenkins Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 7 April 2009. The critic finds the film garbled and monotonous with no effort toward originality, excitement or plausibility. They single out the absurd dialogue for particular mockery. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/dragonball-evolution) ## Slant Magazine — Rob Humanick Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2009. The film is uninspired assembly-line fodder that loses any defining qualities through whitewashing, with aimless construction, no substance, poorly edited action and cobbled-together effects that land in unintended camp. The cast does what it can in this photocopied production. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/dragonball-evolution/) ## The Times — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 9 April 2009. The film is an example of Hollywood at its most calculating and cynical, a Pot Noodle of Asian influences with a paper-thin story about gathering mystical balls to avert disaster. It is utter drivel. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/dragonball-evolution-nn50qb8ghtk) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 9 April 2009. The film awkwardly mixes manga elements with an American teen story and fails at both, with weak lead performance and formulaic plot. It offers some unintentional laughs and brisk pacing that make it watchable if not taken seriously. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/dragonball-evolution-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/dragonball-evolution.md