Watch Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins

Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins is a 1991 Taiwanese live-action adaptation of the popular manga and anime series Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama. The movie starts off with the evil Lord Horned King trying to conquer the world with his army of demons. The only thing that stands in his way is a small village led by Master Roshi (Chi-Chiang Chen), a wise old martial artist, and his young pupils, including the spunky teenager Bulma (Jeannie Hsieh) and the strong but simple-minded Son Goku (Tung-Chuan Cheng).

After the Horned King's minions attack the village and steal the Dragon Ball that Master Roshi had been guarding, Goku sets off on a journey to retrieve it and defeat the Horned King once and for all. Along the way, he meets a band of unlikely allies, including the shape-shifting Oolong, the desert bandit Yamcha, and the mysterious martial artist named ChiChi.

Despite being a low-budget production with limited special effects and questionable acting, Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins is a fun and faithful adaptation of the source material. The movie stays true to the spirit of the original story, capturing the humor, action, and adventure that made the Dragon Ball series so popular.

One of the strengths of the movie is its creative use of practical effects and costumes to bring the various creatures and characters from the manga and anime to life. The film's monsters, such as the giant ape form of Goku's alter ego, are suitably impressive and menacing, and the costumes for the human characters are colorful and faithful to the original designs.

Another highlight of the movie is its martial arts action sequences. While not as elaborate or polished as those found in more recent action films, the fights in Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins are entertaining and inventive. The film's choreography makes use of many of the popular techniques and moves from the martial arts styles featured in the Dragon Ball series, such as the kamehameha wave and the solar flare.

The performances of the cast range from serviceable to campy, but they are all committed to their roles and inject a sense of fun and energy into the movie. Chi-Chiang Chen is a standout as Master Roshi, bringing a wise and humorous presence to the film. Jeannie Hsieh is an energetic and spunky Bulma, while Tung-Chun Cheng is a likable and charismatic Son Goku.

The movie also features a catchy and upbeat soundtrack that complements the action and humor of the film. From the opening song to the various fight and chase sequences, the music adds to the overall sense of fun and adventure of the movie.

Overall, Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins is a charming and enjoyable adaptation of the Dragon Ball series. While it may not have the production values or cinematic polish of more recent adaptations, it makes up for this with its faithful and playful approach to the source material. Fans of the manga and anime will find much to enjoy in this live-action interpretation of their favorite characters.

Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins is a 1989 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.3.