By Dragonball Z holds a special place in my heart. It was my first experience with more adult oriented action shows, and it changed my childhood for the better. All these years later, here’s a brand new movie featuring one of the best villains from the original series run and it’s all in glorious HD. It’s finally fulfilling one of my childhood dreams.
Just like its namesake, Dragonball is in the middle of a full on resurrection with two new movies (the first being Battle of Gods) and a new series, Dragonball Super, premiering in Japan. As the big lead in, Resurrection ‘F’ has got its work cut out for it since it’s got to set the stage and somehow grab the attention of a whole new generation of potential Dragonball fans. It’s basically got to level up and become a Super Saiyan itself.
Good thing Dragonball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ is beyond super.
Dragonball Z: Resurrection ‘F’
Director: Tadayoshi Yamamuro
Rated: NR
Release Date: August 4-12, 2015
Sometime after the events of the last film Dragonball Z: Battle of Gods, and a few years after the end of Dragonball Z, the remaining commanders in Frieza’s army use the titular dragonballs (seven mystical items that grant anyone who collects them two wishes) to bring the long dead villain, Frieza (Chris Ayres), back to life. Seeking revenge against Goku (Sean Schemmel) for his loss, Frieza trains for a few months for their ultimate showdown. Now that Goku, Vegeta (Christopher Sabat), and Frieza have reached a new level of power, it’s time for them to settle years of regret and anger. That’s quite a bit of story for an hour of punches, right? That’s exactly why the film deserves your attention.
I should state this right off the bat: There isn’t a lot to attach to if you’re not a regular fan of the series. It’s made with a certain demographic in mind, and because of that, there’s quite a hurdle to overcome. Not narratively, as what little story therein is easy to follow for both newcomers and old fans of the series drawn for a nostalgic romp, but grasping what exactly Dragonball Z is and why the film’s conflict is so special. In terms of introductions, however, there isn’t a better encapsulation of the series’ tone and characters. So to make this review easier, the rest of this will be written with the intended audience and fans in mind.
There have been numerous Dragonball films over the years, but they’ve all been non-sequitur works which never tied into the series proper. Resurrection benefits from both past and future influences, and it gives the punches thrown in the film (which you can always argue as superfluous) added weight. The film’s enemy, Frieza, isn’t some random alien or purple cat god, it’s a villain with an entire “saga” worth of backstory and thankfully the character work done here can pull from it. In fact, the villain’s even a bit sympathetic as you realize he’s just a privileged kid who lost for the first time. The film wonderfully highlights this as Frieza becomes more and more visibly frustrated as the film rolls on (which is why he’s one of the better villains of the series).
Goku and Vegeta also get some great character work in as Resurrection takes their arcs to the next logical step. Now that they’ve grown to such a power level they’re essentially gods, Goku is now an awesomely condescending fighter brimming with confidence. And although the finale takes away a huge moment for Vegeta (that could’ve settled a series long character arc, but runs from it) Vegeta and Goku have some great bits with one another. There’re also some nice scenes for the rest of the “Z Fighter” gang who’re usually pushed to the sidelines. After some explanation (which actually makes sense story wise), every one is on an equal playing field. And without dragging in some of the weaker cast, each fighter gets a chance to shine. It’s going to be a major pleasure for fans to see these guys back in action, for sure.
On the technical end, the film is absolutely gorgeous. Fully representative of the series, the fights take characters through various landscapes instead of the standard cliffs you’d usually see, movement is slick, and as one of the last proponents for traditional hand drawn animation it’s great to see it succeed fully. Other than some odd looking CG that really take you out of the moment, the main fight between Goku and Frieza is a Dragonball fan’s dream. I wish the fight between the two would’ve looked this way all those years ago.
While it’s definitely not for everyone, Dragonball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ hits all the high points with the folks it’s meant for. Capturing both the spirit of the original series and hope for the future, this is a full blown revival. Dragonball used to dominate action cartoons, and it’s come back to take the crown once more.
Neither gods, hundred strong armies, or golden alien super monsters can stop this juggernaut.
