(This post is spoiler-free so don't worry. Anything that I talk about here has already been reveled in marketing material. I also made sure to avoid things that were leaked).
It's here! When Dragon Ball Super ended almost a year ago, a void was created in the lives of many. But the creators assured to not worry! We were told Dragon Ball Super would return and boy has it! Dragon Ball is back on the big screen and it looks as good as ever. Dragon Ball Super: Broly has some of the best animation the series has ever seen and this movie (when the fighting picks up) is the fastest paced Dragon Ball movie that I can remember.
This movie is written entirely by Akira Toriyama (the original creator of Dragon Ball) so the love and touches from the original anime are all here in the movie. The music created by Norihito Sumitomo and the theme song Blizzard by Daichi Miura fits perfectly into this movie. And on top of all that...this movie is canon! Everything that happens in this movie directly impacts the Dragon Ball universe!
What separates this movie from other Dragon Ball movies (with the exception of Battle of Gods) is that they actually make you care about the villain! Yes, the writers make you worry and care about Broly at times in this movie. The movie takes ample time to develop his back story and help you understand why he's the monster that he is. Broly is no longer a one-dimensional monster that pound Goku and friends into the ground until Goku eventually punches him in the stomach super hard (yes I understand that's not exactly what happened in the original Broly movie but you understand what I mean). You actually learn where he draws his power from, how he keeps getting stronger, and why he is a monster. But you don't just learn about Broly, you learn more about the Dragon Ball universe as a whole.
This movie is just as much about the history of the Saiyans and their servitude under Frieza as it is about Goku and Vegeta fighting Broly. The movie begins 41 years before the start of Dragon Ball which allowed Akira Toriyama to include characters like Nappa, King Vegeta and even Goku's Planet Vegeta family. It also helped you understand how much the Saiyan feared both Frieza and his father. King Vegeta plays the most important role in the beginning of the movie. He is the one who decides Broly (as an infant) is too dangerous to be kept on Planet Vegeta. He claims that Broly has potential that is out of control and will endanger not only his family, but the race as a whole. In reality, just like in the original Broly movie, he fears that Broly will surpass his son Vegeta and over throw his throne (a justifiable concern if you ask me). So he has Broly cast out to an abandoned planet where he assumes Broly will die. He doesn't (spoiler I guess?) and when he grows up, he is ready to extract his revenge on Vegeta's family. I won't tell you how or why Broly ends up on Earth, but it is pretty clever overall.
This is where my first overall critique, or at least note, that I have about the movie. When I mentioned this is a movie about the Saiyans, I wasn't overexaggerating. This movie focuses on Goku, Vegeta, their families, Frieza, Broly, some side characters, and very little of anyone else. If you come to this movie expecting to see Gohan, Krillin, Tien, or anyone else jump into the action that isn't happening in this movie. So, just like almost all of Dragon Ball Super the show, this movie focuses very much on Goku and Vegeta. This was a slight disappointment to me because there is such a heavy theme of father and son dynamics: Vegeta and his father, Broly and his father, that I thought they'd include Gohan at some point for sure. This certainly didn't ruin the movie for me, but it is definitely something that fans should go into this movie expecting.
This movie, as I mentioned above, has a multitude of side characters that are just as interesting and bring a fun, new dynamic to the Dragon Ball universe. The best among them are Lemo, voiced by Bruce Carey, and Cheelai, voiced by Erika Lindbeck.
These two side character play an important role in the movie and are the best (non-superpowered) addition to the series since Jaco the Galactic Patrolman was introduced in Resurrection F.
The reason that they're both so good is because they both are interesting to learn about and they are voiced so well by both of their respective actors. Speaking of voice acting, this movie as good as it gets. Sean Schemmel and Chris Sabat both feature a variety of voices that are top notch. On top of that, the original voice acting crew from Dragon Ball Super is back which makes movie feel even more authentic. The sound design is also flawless. The music, sounds of destruction, and acting all worked seamlessly in concert together to create an eye popping experience for even the most casual of Dragon Ball fans (even movie goers in general might I add!). The only movie that I have seen so far in this past year that is better than this animation quality is Spider Man: into the Spiderverse (which we gave a 99).
Finally, in terms of pacing, this movie may start a little slow for some fans who are only watching for some incredible action, and it drags for a few minutes just before Goku and Vegeta fuse (not a spoiler, it was on the poster when I walked into the theater so it's totally marketing material) but besides that, the movie keeps your attention the whole time and succeeds on almost every level in satisfying Dragon Ball fans of all ages.
I 100% recommend that if you like Dragon Ball you should watch this movie as soon as possible. I will caution some fans though: if you have not finished the Universe Survival Arc for Dragon Ball Super there are spoilers for the end of that arc so I'd maybe finish that first before watching this movie if you care about spoilers.
Overall, this movie is definitely my second favorite Dragon Ball movie of all time. I'll give you my definitive top 3 right now too just for context:
1. Battle of Gods (because of this scene, plus the dynamic that grows between Beerus and Goku as they fight is one of my favorite evolutions in the entire series)
2. Dragon Ball Super: Broly (everything you just read)
3. Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn (they introduced Gogeta and Gotenks killed Hitler. I think those are two very good reasons to like this movie)
Dragon Ball Super: Broly is another new high for the series as a whole and I cannot wait to see where they take Dragon Ball next after this incredible feat!
Score: 90/100
+ Backstory of Broly is great
+ Animation, voice acting and much all incredible
- A little slow in places
- No Gohan or friends of Goku in this movie