Dragonball Movie to Do Reshoots

[Tsukento]

Not before Vegeta gets to wield his machine gun while looking for the red Dragon Balls.

[Acid_Reign]

Why anyone would go to such lengths just to justify hating something is beyond me. I'm done with this topic before it gets messy; anyone who wants to read my list with an actual open mind is welcome to.

Desiré has some very good points though. Okay, there’s a sarcastic tone, but a lot of what you came up with seems very much unsubstantiated. No one’s attacking you here; just challenging your viewpoints.

Unless we get an official statement from FOX saying that they are doing re-shoots do to the negative response to a promo no one was supposed to see anyway, then I will believe it, until then, I believe they are just doing some minor changes and additional scenes, like a lot of movie do before they are released.

Agreed. I know the article I posted suggested that it could be due to the negative reactions, but that was just the first I’d heard of it; I wouldn’t ever jump to that conclusion. As with any claim, if there’s no source, it’s no good.

I really feel bad for this movie, as if it were a person, because most of the fans have already condemned it before it was even done filming, hell even before they started filming.

You shouldn’t, because you’re only going to take everything someone says about the movie personally. It’s just a movie; we can’t hurt its feelings. Even the people associated with the movie will probably never read any of this, and they’ll still make an assload of money off of it either way.

The negativity you’re seeing is merely a reaction to FOX’s treatment of a story people have come to appreciate. Some people condemned the movie since before they started filming; I don’t think that’s fair, but I don’t feel sorry for the movie because that’s the kind of flak franchise movies are expected to get. And even if I don’t agree, I understand why they would feel that way. Are you saying that there isn’t at least one complaint on the other side you can see the reasoning behind?

[Captain Awesome]

Why anyone would go to such lengths just to justify hating something is beyond me.

And you haven't gone to the same lengths (or even greater) to justify your positive outlook towards the movie?, 90% of your post was just speculation on your part.

[Super Sonic]

They both make good points. I dmit I've been guilty of badmouthing a movie before it even came out myself. I'm also sure I'm not the only one who was denouncing the casting of the Clown Prince of Crime before that full trailer came out.

[Joey Batz]

I was reading a lot of Desire's response to SSJ Kaboom's post (I read some of it anyway) and he is right on a lot of stuff in terms of what is substantiated and what isn't. But again, as I was reading it, it really strengthened my belief that a lot of people here seem to be looking for a live action reenactment of the manga. "Goku's not supposed to be interested in girls!" Guys, this isn't supposed to fit in the manga storyline! There are always going to be changes in the look, the feel, the characters and the storyline. Again, look at Transformers. The cartoon was campy (in a good way) while the movie was badass. And Sam (who wasn't named Spike) did NOT work on an oil rig with his father (who in the movie was not named Sparkplug).

To kind of show what I'm saying, Desire, you wrote:

"(More appropriate? How? It's not appropriate for Piccolo to know about aaiyans, and since the story arc they're covering doesn't actually concern Goku being anything except 'avenging do-gooder' neither Goku, nor the audience, have any reason to know he anything but human. The next arc is when Goku should be shown as alien, and specifically, saiyan"

I think in the movie, it's pretty appropriate for Goku to learn his Saiyan heritage from Piccolo (given what little we know thus far).Why? Because it's not the same story as in the manga!! Folks, you're going to have to deal with that. We're not going to have a Piccolo Saga movie and a Saiyan Saga movie and a Frieza Saga movie, and on and on until the Shadow Dragons Saga. As much as I like their characters, from what we know of the story thus far, we don't need characters like Krillin, Tien, Chioutzu, or Yajirobe in anything other than cameo roles because they have nothing to do with the live action movie's plot. It's a reimagining of the story, not the same story. Just like Transformers and Spider-Man and X-Men and Fantastic Four. It's an adaptation, not a retelling.

If you all still think this movie is going to suck, that's fine, but if you you think it's going to suck because it's not the live action reenactment that you all seem to be looking for, then maybe you're going to want to go into this with more of an open mind. The fact of the matter is that the story of Dragon Ball is rather tough to tell in a 2 hour live action flick without putting in some minor and major changes. We just have to realize that no matter how good or bad this movie is, it's not the true version of Dragon Ball. A Goku in high school who has a crush on a girl and possibly drives a sports car will do nothing to damage the character that we all know and love because we've been following the REAL (well, "real" isn't the right word, but you know what I mean) Goku's adventures long before such a movie was even a twinkle in Fox's eye. Look, all I'm saying is keep an open mind. If the trailer looks godawful, that's fine. But don't sit there and predict that a movie is going to bomb just because it isn't a line-by-line retelling of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament or something, because that's just silly.

[Olivier Hague]

Unless we get an official statement from FOX saying that they are doing re-shoots do to the negative response to a promo no one was supposed to see anyway

Yeah, 'cause that could happen. ^_^;;
I agree with the skepticism, but let's face it: an official confirmation about something like that? No way in hell.

Did you guys know that Daredevil was still being worked on up until a few days before it's release? I bet you didn't.

I'm not sure that's a very encouraging example.

[omegacwa]

Unless we get an official statement from FOX saying that they are doing re-shoots do to the negative response to a promo no one was supposed to see anyway

Yeah, 'cause that could happen. ^_^;;
I agree with the skepticism, but let's face it: an official confirmation about something like that? No way in hell.

Did you guys know that Daredevil was still being worked on up until a few days before it's release? I bet you didn't.

I'm not sure that's a very encouraging example.

Well, in response to 1. I know they would probably not officially state that stuff, but I hate it when people assume reasons behind things without any real proof.

And in response to 2. Daredevil was actually well liked by Ebert and Roper, both well known critics, Plus I liked it a lot, and all my friends did. It is actually pretty good, and the director's cut is way better. It was actually very faithful to the comic in a lot of respects, Micheal Clarke Duncan was awesome as Kingpin, something even I was skeptical about at first. I really didn't like Bullseye's appearance, but otherwise it was good, and most of the worst scenes in the movie don't make an appearance in the directors cut anyway, so it's all good. Basically, if you didn't like Daredevil the movie, you just don't like Daredevil.

Oh, and there are plenty of things I don't like about the movie, I am just trying to stay positive until I see the final cut. I think I made a lot of my complaints clear in my response to the "script".

[JAPPO]

I wish I had the patience Kaboom has. Everyone please read his list to get my opinion.

[Tsukento]

I said it once, I'll say it again.

Dragon Ball movies 1 - 4 = Adaptions that retell the canon storyline.
Dragonball = Is to Dragon Ball as Zilla is to Godzilla.

The animated movies retold the stories in their own way. That's fine. But do you know why? Because ALL OF THE CHARACTERS REMAINED AS THEMSELVES. Goku never became an unsure, typical superhero teen just discovering he has powers who's trying to balance saving the world and having a personal life. Bulma never became a weapon-wielding nut (did she and Lunch suddenly fuse?) Roshi never grew a head full of hair, put his shades away or shaved his beard and mustache off.

As mentioned earlier before, the very fact that a lot of what makes Goku...Goku isn't present at all and seems to be completely disregarded in favor of making him into a typical super hero teen.

Why did I compare this with Zilla? Because like Zilla, it only bears the name of what it's supposed to represent. It just doesn't resemble any of the source material at all aside from the title and the idea that there are seven Dragon Balls.

[Kaboom]

It just doesn't resemble any of the source material at all aside from the title and the idea that there are seven Dragon Balls.

Of course it appears that way, when you ignore stupid little things like the entire plot, and the high-scale, ki-powered martial arts battles, and the character's origins, motivations, and relationships... in favor of the obviously much more important and damning elements like meaningless background characters and a car.

Even the way you just described the characters is baseless in a lot of ways, or has no bearing on the plot or overall worth of the film. Having Bulma, a girl who's brainy but being thrust into a dangerous position, not have weapons in such a position would be stupid. Her family's DragonBall was forcefully stolen by Piccolo's minions, and you expect her to go after it (initially Goku-less) WITHOUT having some way to defend herself?

In the original story, no, Bulma wasn't armed with much anything more than a handgun. But she wasn't competing with anyone for the DragonBalls, either, especially not an ancient alien tyrant and his demon-spawn minions. Piccolo and his critters are Bulma's direct competition and enemies for the DragonBalls in this movie, so until she happens to get herself a Saiyan bodyguard, I certainly hope she'll be packing heat. It'd make me worry for her intelligence if she didn't.

Roshi looks a little different, whoop-de-freakin'-doo.

And especially Goku. Goku does not "discover" his powers, nor does anything suggest he's trying to "balance" his personal life with anything or even give a damn about it. Shots and story elements we've been privy to point towards him living out in the wilderness with Gohan and spending most of his time training (Didn't anyone see the shot of the two of them sparring outside their house from the promo? Did that setting look like civilization to any of you?). Being sent to a damn school for probably the first time in his life does not make him a "cliche american teen superhero."

I'm not going to stand here and be accused of making things up, when the accusers themselves are making one baseless, cynical assumption after another.


Godzilla is a giant lizard-creature who stomps through and destroys cities. The American Godzilla movie depicted a giant lizard-creature that stomped through and destroyed a city. If they named it something different, people would say, "hey, what a rip-off of Godzilla."

DragonBall is the tale of a superpowered boy who gathers the DragonBalls and fights alongside his friends to defend Earth from human, demon, and alien villains. The DragonBall movie is about a superpowered boy who gathers the DragonBalls and fights alongside his friends to defend Earth from human, demon, and alien villains. If they named it something different, people would say, "hey, what a rip-off of DragonBall."


Anyway, I realize I'm wasting my breath. I wrote up all my feelings in an update to my deviantART journal. I think I'll just link to it from now on rather than trying to dare promoting positivity any more.

[Tsukento]

Of course it appears that way, when you ignore stupid little things like the entire plot, and the high-scale, ki-powered martial arts battles, and the character's origins, motivations, and relationships... in favor of the obviously much more important and damning elements like meaningless background characters and a car.

Godzilla is a giant lizard-creature who stomps through and destroys cities. The American Godzilla movie depicted a giant lizard-creature that stomped through and destroyed a city.

I'd say this is a perfect example of an explanation of the things that make Zilla so different from Godzilla.

Yes, the basic overview is the same. But does that make them the very same? Absolutely not. Details in works like this ARE important. Otherwise, the whole movie falls apart.

[Kaboom]

I'll agree with you about Godzilla... mostly. I still stand by the "close enough" idea, that labeling it anything but "Godzilla" would have been even less appropriate.

But DragonBall is not looking to have the same "faults." It has plenty of "DragonBall-like" elements. In fact, I'd say it's shaping up to NOT make the same mistakes Godzilla did. To say they're repeating the same mistakes would be valid if things were happening like, say, Goku never doing a Kamehameha, the same way Ameri-zilla never had Atomic Breath.

If they'd made this movie just about some random kid who lives who-cares-where, was human, randomly acquired superpowers, then fought a random demon-spawn alien for the fate of the world, and then slapped the DragonBall name on it... THEN would it be "DragonBall in name only."

But no. In the movie, Goku is a naturally strong Saiyan. Sent to Earth as a baby. Taught martial arts and raised contrary to his nature out at a quiet, rustic home in the wilderness by Grandpa Gohan, who later dies, leaving Goku to himself. Searches for the Dragon Balls. Taught more advanced martial arts by Roshi, his grandpa's old master. Goes up against Piccolo, an ancient Namekian sealed away eons ago who seeks the DragonBalls to restore his youth so he can conquer the world.

Aside from a few tiny, inconsequential differences, this IS Son Goku. The same goes for the other characters.

[Captain Awesome]

But no. In the movie, Goku is a naturally strong Saiyan. Sent to Earth as a baby. Taught martial arts and raised contrary to his nature out at a quiet, rustic home in the wilderness by Grandpa Gohan, who later dies, leaving Goku to himself. Searches for the Dragon Balls. Taught more advanced martial arts by Roshi, his grandpa's old master. Goes up against Piccolo, an ancient Namekian sealed away eons ago who seeks the DragonBalls to restore his youth so he can conquer the world.

Again, you're making assumptions based on what you want out of the film.

We don't know where Goku lives, we don't know if he goes in search of the Dragon Balls, we don't know Piccolo's motives. You can't keep responding to people's criticism with your speculative fantasies.

[Kaboom]

We don't know where Goku lives, we don't know if he goes in search of the Dragon Balls, we don't know Piccolo's motives. You can't keep responding to people's criticism with your speculative fantasies.

What? Haven't you been paying any attention?

Goku and Gohan's House: It was iffy for a while, but then we got this screencap from the promo, showing the two of them training at home. Check out the general old-world, spartan feel of their house, and the beautiful, by-a-river-in-the-mountains landscape. We've also seen several interior shots a while back of a rustic, hermit-ish dwelling, but we don't know whether it's Gohan or Roshi's place. Probably Roshi's since we know Goku is instructed to seek Roshi out, rather than Roshi coming and finding him. That third one is more likely Gohan's house though, I think.

Goku searching for the DragonBalls: That's what the entire movie is about. Piccolo has been released and wants the DragonBalls, so Goku and crew try (and apparently fail) to get them first. Here's just one of several plot synopses that we've gotten.

Piccolo wanting his youth back: James Marsters told us himself in a recent magazine interview. "He's been searching for the Dragon Balls so that he turn himself back into his younger self. This is straight out of the cartoon."

Trust me, I speculate a little bit, but I'm not just talking out of my ass here.

[Captain Awesome]

I apologise, It seems I've forgotten a bunch of stuff.

For some reason I always assumed that shot in the wilderness was Goku and Roshi, but I never paused it and took a good look , the Roadshow and Marsters interview were news to me.

My problem with your comments earlier concerning the characters what that they were pure speculation, It would be great if they turned out that way, but sadly at this point we've seen more instances of Goku acting out of character than anything else.

[Acid_Reign]

I'd say this is a perfect example of an explanation of the things that make Zilla so different from Godzilla.

Yes, the basic overview is the same. But does that make them the very same? Absolutely not. Details in works like this ARE important. Otherwise, the whole movie falls apart.

While I generally agree, I saw Godzilla when it came out in 1998 and loved it. Granted, I was 10 at the time, and only had a passing familiarity with the originals, but even though Godzilla looked and acted different it didn’t feel like a cheap rip-off to me. It still satisfied the typical appetite one would have going into a monster movie: action, suspense, a cool monster, scientists unraveling its motives and origins, the military trying to figure out how to counter it, etc. As a sci-fi nerd, I actually enjoyed the realism, and although I had seen the Jurassic Park movies and could detect the similarities, I felt it was different enough to be considered its own thing. I left the theater feeling excited (my mom, overwhelmed), and needless to say it quickly became my favorite movie, which would eventually launch an interest in the rest of the G franchise.

And so I was a bit baffled reading all of the negative opinions that followed online, because yes it was a different Godzilla but I didn’t see why that mattered. I actually went to see Godzilla 2000 and was sorely disappointed because I thought the dubbing was satirical and I couldn’t understand the choice of “reverting” to the upright, suited Godzilla when the previous movie proved special effects could do a better job.

It wasn’t until 10 years later that I bought Godzilla (1998) and the original Gojira (1954) on DVD, watched the former again, and the latter for the first time, that I was able to really see what people were talking about. Godzilla had a long history before 1998 that I was previously unaware of. It had already established the plot, characters, and overarching theme of the story. It was Japan’s cultural reaction to the horrors of World War II. It had drawn a legion of loyal fans, and it invented the tokusatsu genre as we know it.

It would make sense, then, to treat the Godzilla property with respect. There may not be a whole lot of substance to the idea on the surface—what with each movie basically being a rehash of the last, where a monster ravages Tokyo and Godzilla battles it in defense—that doesn’t make it insubstantial, and the core values that the fans have come to expect of the franchise should not be depreciated.

Because that is really what is at issue here: the movie could be great; it could have all of the aspects of an enjoyable story of its genre, but if it doesn’t at least meet the precedents set forth by its namesake, those core values that make the entity followed by its followers in the first place (these are the people who, through their own devotion, essentially allow such a thing to be possible), then it shouldn’t logically carry the same title. Serious adaptations restructure the existing material without tearing out the foundation.

So, while I will personally always have a fondness for Godzilla, I can certainly appreciate the fans’ frustration with it. Dragonball is Hollywood not learning from its mistakes.

And especially Goku. Goku does not "discover" his powers, nor does anything suggest he's trying to "balance" his personal life with anything or even give a damn about it.

From the novelization’s official description (emphasis mine):

Goku thought he was a normal high school student until he found out he's actually a martial-arts whiz with all kinds of crazy powers. Now he and his new group of teen warriors are on a quest to find all the Dragon Balls before they fall into the wrong hands. But they may already have! Goku must battle the evil madman Piccolo with all he's got to save the planet Earth!

Shots and story elements we've been privy to point towards him living out in the wilderness with Gohan and spending most of his time training (Didn't anyone see the shot of the two of them sparring outside their house from the promo? Did that setting look like civilization to any of you?).

So there’s one shot where he’s not in a city, and that automatically means he lives in the wilderness?

[Kaboom]

And especially Goku. Goku does not "discover" his powers, nor does anything suggest he's trying to "balance" his personal life with anything or even give a damn about it.

From the novelization’s official description (emphasis mine):

Goku thought he was a normal high school student until he found out he's actually a martial-arts whiz with all kinds of crazy powers. Now he and his new group of teen warriors are on a quest to find all the Dragon Balls before they fall into the wrong hands. But they may already have! Goku must battle the evil madman Piccolo with all he's got to save the planet Earth!

That's a summary for a stupid little children's novel, and it actually goes against what else we've been told, that Goku's already naturally strong and talented.

Shots and story elements we've been privy to point towards him living out in the wilderness with Gohan and spending most of his time training (Didn't anyone see the shot of the two of them sparring outside their house from the promo? Did that setting look like civilization to any of you?).

So there’s one shot where he’s not in a city, and that automatically means he lives in the wilderness?

There's a shot of him and Gohan training out by a home in what's obviously the wilderness, so he lives in the wilderness. I mean, it's right there. Photographic proof.

[Acid_Reign]

There's a shot of him and Gohan training out by a home in what's obviously the wilderness, so he lives in the wilderness. I mean, it's right there. Photographic proof.

No, not proof. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Goku lives there. Just that he fought there at least once. That could literally be anybody’s home.

[Kaboom]

So likewise, the fact that Goku is in a school at the onset of the movie is absolutely no proof that he's been raised in civilization or has any kinds of brains. I mean, we don't even have any good pictures of that like we do here.

There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Goku lives there.

Yes there is. Granted, not enough to prove, but definitely enough to safely assume. When a shot of Goku and Gohan training with Bo staffs at a home out in the wilderness isn't concrete enough to assume that it's actually where they live and train like we've been told they do... I just don't know what to think anymore.

[Super Ghost Kamikaze]

There's a shot of him and Gohan training out by a home in what's obviously the wilderness, so he lives in the wilderness. I mean, it's right there. Photographic proof.

No, not proof. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Goku lives there. Just that he fought there at least once. That could literally be anybody’s home.

Maybe it's MY house!