Apr 20, 2019
It’s hard to think of shonen series tie-in film that I’ve enjoyed more than Dragonball Super: Broly. For a number of reasons, stemming from both nostalgia and purely good storytelling on a more fundamental level DBS:B delivers on every expectation I have and then some. With spectacular visuals and a rousing OST that’s definitely grown on me this is a film not to miss if you’re a fan of Dragonball or a fan of self-contained action romps. There’s a lore-filled flashback that takes up a fifth or so if the runtime. And, if I want to be really nit-picky perhaps the film is too much
...
for action over substance.
But as one who has watched many battle series, I’ve found that the way DBS:B scratches the testosterone fueled fighting itch while emphasizing restraint and discipline is quite astounding. And as an a showcase for orgasmic animation we need look no further than DBS:B’s show-not-tell attitude when it comes to how Broly is structured from scene to scene. As an example: there’s a moment when Goku and Broly size one another up before a bout of energy-filled lunches begin to fly. Broly looks at Goku and he stares back, letting go of his coat, allowing it to fly away, carried on the wind. Goku strikes a pose and flexes. Broly responds in kind. As the two stare in another down, their stances and thereby attitudes begin to shift towards one another. Unsure but still excitable, Broly begins to steel himself, settling into a stance that mimics Goku’s while still more loose and fluid. One could interpret it as, “monkey see, monkey do.” As Broly has copied movements from other characters throughout the film unbeknownst to himself. But really, Broly is growing and learning, stealing knowledge and adding it to his own in order to bring calm to the world, to stamp out the irregularity he is faced with. This moment, in conjunction with what we have already seen in scenes that establish his very simplistic mindset portrays a strong sense that the animators understood Broly’s character as opposed to him simply being another bad guy to beat down in a straightforward fashion.
Other minuses. There were a few lines of dialogue that felt a bit exposition-heavy in the flashback section. And your mileage may vary with the use of CGI which, at times, seems a wee-bit overbearing. That said, I’ve found it’s use to be quite fitting, and a welcome improvement over some of the more shiny and garish techniques used and abused at studios such as UFOtable.
While I don’t think the film is perfect, I think it’s pretty nearly perfect. Or close enough that I’m willing to give this bitch a perfect score here on MAL.
92/100 (because 92 feels like the right number. I don’t have this down to a science.)
Or
10/10 MAL score.
Thanks for reading, pal.
Call me Kakarot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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