Dragon Ball Super: Broly review

DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY:

BROLY’S RETURN IS A SUPER SAIYAN BLAST OF ADRENALINE…AND DAMMIT I LOVE IT!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

FUNIMATION FILMS, TOEI ANIMATION, AND 20^TH CENTURY FOX

(From left to right) Broly, Goku, and Vegeta preparing for one hell of a Super Saiyan battle in Dragon Ball Super: Broly

            I recall back in my review of Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F from 2015 saying if they made a third theatrical Dragon Ball Z movie, it would completely make up for the infamous 2009 disaster known as Dragonball: Evolution. Give it four years and we get Dragon Ball Super: Broly, the third Dragon Ball movie to get an American theatrical release following 2014’s Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and 2015’s Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F, the fourth film to feature the character, Broly after 1993’s Broly: The Legendary Super Saiyan, 1994’s Broly: Second Coming, and Bio-Broly (also released in 1994), the first film based on the Dragon Ball Super story-arc, and unlike the previous two movies which were only given limited theatrical runs through Fathom Events, this is the first Dragon Ball movie to get a wide U.S. release as well as the first to receive an IMAX run outside of Japan.

            After seeing this movie, I’ll admit if it only got a limited Fathom Events release for a couple of days like the other ones I would be pissed because Dragon Ball Super: Broly is AMAZING! Don’t get me wrong, Battle of Gods and Resurrection F were a lot of fun to see on the big-screen but much like its overly-powerful antagonist, Broly’s entertainment levels are over 9,000 and delivers everything fans of the Dragon Ball anime and manga expect, gorgeous animation, flashy, over-the-top action sequences, goofy humor, and a whole lot of fan-service culminating into quite possibly some of the most epic imagery you will ever see in a Dragon Ball movie or episode.

             Coming out of the movie I described it as the Mad Max of Dragon Ball movies because the majority of it is one long action sequence, but still manages to have strong character development and surprisingly effective drama. Though I will admit the story is very reminiscent of Superman at times, fortunately it doesn’t ruin the fun of the movie in any way.

            The film follows extraordinarily powerful Super Saiyan, Broly (voiced by Vic Mignogna-Naruto Shippuden, Bleach, Digimon Adventure tri.) who once lived on Planet Vegeta with his father, Paragus (voiced by Dameon Clarke-Yu Yu Hakusho, Fullmetal Alchemist, Borderlands) when he was only a baby. When Planet Vegeta fell under command of the notorious Frieza (voiced by Christopher Ayres-Kino’s Journey, Black Butler, Sengoku Basara), Paragus attempts to save his son but is stopped by King Vegeta who exiles them both to the desolate, Planet Vampa, due to Broly’s abnormal power level as he fears him to be a threat to his son, Prince Vegeta (voiced by Christopher Sabat-One Piece, Fullmetal Alchemist, My Hero Academia).

            After a harsh childhood on Vampa and the destruction of Planet Vegeta, Broly has grown up into a powerful force of nature who can only be controlled by a shock collar due to his uncontrollable abilities. Broly and Paragus partner up with Frieza, who apparently came back to life after being trapped in the lovey-dovey Hellhole from Resurrection F and set a course to Earth to use Broly as a weapon to destroy the Super Saiyans and the entire planet.

            Meanwhile, Goku (voiced by Sean Schemmel-Pokémon, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh) and Vegeta are informed by Vegeta’s wife, Bulma (voiced by Monica Rial-Full Metal Panic!, Neon Genesis: Evangelion, My Hero Academia) that six out of the seven Dragonballs have been stolen by Frieza’s army and rush to the Arctic to stop them from collecting the seventh Dragon Ball. But they are soon intercepted by Broly and his father who controls Broly’s powers with a simple remote control in hopes to get revenge on Vegeta for exiling him and his son.

            Goku and Vegeta must use all their skills and wits to stop this overly powerful foe and save the planet. However, there may be some good in Broly trapped within his anger and Paragus’ control.

            The film also features the voices of Sonny Strait (Fairy Tail, Fullmetal Alchemist, Psycho-Pass) as Bardock, Sabat as Piccolo, King Vegeta, and the dragon, Shenron, Emily Neves (Angel Beats, Grave of the Fireflies, Starship Troopers: Invasion) as Gine, Kara Edwards (.hack//Quantum, One Piece, Yu Yu Hakusho) as Goten, Alexis Tipton (Blood-C, Soul Eater Not!, Fairy Tail) as Trunks, Jason Douglas (My Hero Academia, RWBY, Attack on Titan) as Lord Beerus, Anthony Bowling (Fairy Tail, Samurai 7, Strike Witches) as Whis, Erica Lindbeck (Sword Art Online, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans, Fate/Apocrypha) as Cheelai, Veronica Taylor (Pokémon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 series), Sailor Moon) as Berryblue, and Phil Parsons (Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, Tokyo Ghoul) as Nappa.

            Overall, Dragon Ball Super: Broly is an adrenaline rush from beginning to end and could easily be one of the best Dragon Ball movies ever made. I mean, where else can you see a Super Saiyan battle where Goku, Vegeta, and Broly fight in the CENTER OF THE EARTH!?! It is as epic as it sounds and definitely the highlight of the entire film.

            Even in the story department, Broly knocks it out of the park as we get to explore Broly’s childhood and see the origins of his powers and what made him go bad. Despite being the villain, you actually feel pretty sorry for Broly and all throughout the movie you hope there is still some good in this anger-filled monster.

            A nitpick I have with the movie is there’s not much screen-time with the Dragon Ball supporting characters. Aside from a few scenes with Beerus, Whis, Piccolo, Goten, and Trunks, the rest of the gang don’t even appear in the film, no Master Roshi, no Chi-Chi, no Android 18, no Krillin or Gohan, not even Hercule AKA Mr. Satan, I found that to be a little disappointing, but I still had a great time with the movie.

            I don’t know what else to say, Dragon Ball Super: Broly delivers exactly what die-hard fans want to see and cranks it to over 9,000 with one of the best climaxes I’ve ever seen in animation. If you’re a fan of the Dragon Ball franchise, this is one you don’t want to miss on the big-screen and will hopefully lead to more theatrical Dragon Ball movies in the future.