Dragon Ball Z: ROCK THE DRAGON Marathon Part 3

(Welcome, one and all, to the Dragon Ball Z: ROCK THE DRAGON Movie Marathon, here at the Anime Corner. For the next couple of weeks, I’ll be posting reviews for all 15 Dragon Ball Z movies, from Dead Zone to Resurrection F.  A couple of notes to remember about these movies: For the most part, these are not series cannon (those that are, I will point out when I get to them).  They don’t fit into the series at all.  There isn’t even a need for backstory.  Everyone’s favorite fighting warriors club is thrown into a life or death situation with a villain of the flick.  That’s all the basics there.  You may see some familiar faces that may confuse where they fit into any timeline.  But just treat them all as what they are, stand alone, mini universe tales.  Everyone good?  Ok, let’s summon the Eternal Dragon and get these thoughts shared.)

Part 3

Movie 5-Cooler’s Revenge (The Incredible Strongest vs. Strongest)

Word of Frieza’s death has spread across the galaxy.  And it has finally gotten back to his older brother, Cooler.  Amazed that a Saiyan could defeat Frieza, Cooler travels to Earth to find and challenge Goku.  Interrupting the Saiyan hero during a camping trip with his friends and family, Cooler surprises everyone with his immense power and his resemblance to Frieza.  And seeing as he has a form stronger than his brother, will Cooler be able to defeat Goku even when he is at Super Saiyan level?

Oh Cooler.  The Brother of Frieza.  After cleaning house with both Frieza and his father, King Cold, why would we consider anyone else from his family a threat?  Even with an extra form we’ve never seen from the family, Cooler’s nothing more than a more arrogant version of his brother.  And by now we’ve kinda settled into the route these movies will take: Peaceful time, villains arrive, villains nearly defeat the heroes and explain their plans, last ditch effort, only Goku is left standing, villain loses, next movie repeat.  There are some merits like the animations pretty good and for once Piccolo gets to handle all of the side villains on his own.  Overall though, these are still movies DBZ fans will love if they want some more action.  But if you’re looking for a larger than life Dragon Ball Z movie that isn’t likw a shortened filler arc of the series, we’re not there yet.  But things will get a little better.

5.5/10

 

Movie 6-The Return of Cooler (Clash!! The Power of 10 Billion Warriors)

New Namek has sent out a distress call.  A metallic ship has begun burrowing into the planet and is tearing it apart.  Goku and the Z-Fighters answer the call and find themselves facing not just a robotic army…but a reborn Metal Cooler as well.  It’s the rematch of the century and this time, just Goku will not be enough to win the day.  For when facing an army of over 10 million Metal Coolers, you don’t just need one Super Saiyan, you need two.

Vegeta’s arrived.  That alone is enough to make this movie awesome.  Well that and we get to see some of the Z-Fighters pull their weight before things start going to hell for them.  And even then, they don’t really.  I talked a bit about recycled storylines being used in the movies and this one is no different from Lord Slug: Metal Cooler (Cyborg Frieza), New Namek Attack (Frieza attacks Namek), Cyborg Frieza cut to pieces and blasted by Future Trunks (Goku and Vegeta smash Metal Cooler then blow him up, his first body anyway).  And it would have been fun to see some of Goku and Vegeta taking on a few thousand Metal Coolers too.  In the end, I give this one a pass though.  Cause at the end of the day, when Goku and Vegeta are on screen together, this series is at it’s best.  And this movie definitely benefits from their combined on screen precense.

7/10