Ask John: Can the Live Action Dragon Ball Movie be Any Good?

Question:
Is there reason to hope that the Dragonball movie would be a quality movie (obviously an incredibly subjective question)? I’d assume the special effects are there, but I’m also of the opinion that certain anime wouldn’t translate well at all to live-action.

Answer:
Over the past several weeks I’ve actually tried to refrain from seriously considering the potential of Twentieth Century Fox’s currently in production Dragon Ball feature film. Virtually no revealing details about the film have been released yet beyond its basic plot summary – a combination of elements from Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. No official images or video have been released for the film – not even teaser art. So I think that speculation about the quality of the finished film is very premature; however, I’ve been pressed for my thoughts on this subject frequently enough that I don’t think I can avoid answering.

If the publicly known story details are true, the first American Dragon Ball movie introduces Son Goku and his adopted grandfather Mutenroshi, except that unlike the original manga and anime, Goku is not introduced as a young boy, but rather as a teenage alien living on Earth – a story detail lifted from Dragon Ball Z. The film reportedly features original Dragon Ball antagonists Pilaf and Mai, and the primary antagonist will be Ma (also known as Piccolo), suggesting that the American film will primarily adapt the next-to-last story arc of the original Dragon Ball anime series. In effect, rather than attempt to literally and faithfully turn the Dragon Ball manga and anime into a live action feature, director James Wong’s script has selected piecemeal elements from Dragon Ball and merged them into a unique, original American vision. While Dragon Ball faithful may be unhappy with this extensive reimagining, I think that it’s the best and only effective route to an effective American feature film. Merging the origin stories of both Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z and concentrating on a teenage Goku instead of the young boy Goku may be the only way to make a live action feature accessible and appealing to average American audiences unfamiliar with the Dragon Ball franchise while still retaining the identifiable characteristics that qualify this as a Dragon Ball feature rather than an original film inspired by Dragon Ball.

I don’t know of evidence to convince me that the film’s screenwriter and director James Wong is a cinematic auteur; however, his work on The X-Files and Final Destination prove that he is, at least, a competent film maker. Stephen Chow’s involvement as an executive producer is encouraging because Chow’s Chinese films including Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle, and apparently CJ7 reveal a grasp of the larger than life, superhuman martial arts, and the delicate balance between serious violence and playful unreality necessary to convince average viewers to accept Dragon Ball style action without laughingly dismissing it or criticizing its impossibility. I’m not especially familiar with lead actors Justin Chatwin and James Marsters, but I can say that the Matrix movies have already established the potential to make non-martial artist actors appear as convincing fighters on screen. From what little I know of James Marsters as Buffy the Vampire Slayers’ nemesis Spike, I think he does have the capacity to portray an effective, menacing and contemporary villain. I’ve read some criticism of Chow Yun Fat demeaning himself to accept a role based on a children’s action comic, but I feel the need to point out that Fat has already adequately demeaned himself in laughable films like Treasure Hunt, God of Gamblers Returns, and Bulletproof Monk. I think that Chow Yun Fat’s turn in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has already established his viability to play a physical elder master role, although I personally think that Gordon Liu’s two roles in Kill Bill parts one and two make him the ultimate ideal actor to portray a bald, lecherous, kung-fu master grandfather role.

Asian kung-fu movies including A Man Called Hero, Volcano High School, and Arahan have already established the possibility of Dragon Ball style action in movies by depicting flying characters and chi blasts. Even the climax of Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle, which was a success in American theatrical release, would require only a relatively small amount of alteration to become a live action adaptation of Dragon Ball Z. On one hand, I can envision a live action feature film effectively depicting Son Goku’s super saiyajin status by foregoing the original glowing gold hair and instead using a simple golden aura. On the other hand, an extensive CG enhanced transformation sequence may also depict super saiyajin status without jeopardizing the film’s believability. In either case, until we see more I think that hardcore Dragon Ball fans should be willing to accept whatever best suits the execution of the live action film rather than expect the film to obsessively recreate every detail of the original manga.

Respectable American super hero pictures like the first two X-Men films, Blade 2, and the Spider-Man movies, I think, provide ample evidence that intelligent and believable live action comic book adaptations are possible. A live action Dragon Ball film with the serious tone of something like an X-Men movie or 300 won’t happen because Dragon Ball has always been targeted at a younger audience, and a more lighthearted touch will be necessary to make the earth shattering Dragon Ball action believable and acceptable to American viewers. I’m not of the thought that a good live action Dragon Ball film is impossible, but I do think that the creation of a respectable Dragon Ball film will require a conscientious director who’s able to imbue his actors with an eagerness to produce a serious but also fun film, and the willingness to defy inevitable studio pressure to codify the picture and make it a saccharine, condescending embarrassment. Especially at this early stage, it would be highly irresponsible to make predictions about the film. I can only say that I have positive hopes, but my realistic expectations are quite a bit lower. I think that a commendable American Dragon Ball picture is theoretically possible, but the realization of that theory will have to overcome a tremendous number of obstacles and predispositions.