“Scooby-Doo” Review

Jinkies, Zoinks, and Ruh-Roh gang!

Read on for the details.

Scooby-Doo

Cast & Crew

Directed by Raja Gosnell
Written by Craig Titley and James Gunn
Based on Characters Created by: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

Starring
Freddie Prinze Jr.
as Fred Jones
Sarah Michelle
Gellar
as Daphne Blake
Matthew Lillard as
Norville ‘Shaggy’ Rogers
Linda Cardellini as
Velma Dinkley
Scott Innes as Scooby Doo
(voice)
Rowan Atkinson as Mondavarious

Isla Fisher as Mary Jane

Original Release Date

June 14, 2002

Summary

Two years after breaking up, Mystery, Inc. reunites to solve the mystery of Spooky Island, an amusement park where kids come in happy and excited and leave mindless zombies. Along the way, the group mends fences, battles supernatural monsters, and discover just who’s behind the mask.

Review

OK, here’s where I make my confession. I really love Scooby-Doo. It’s one of those childhood icons I’ve never outgrown. When I heard the live-action version was due out this summer, I couldn’t hardly wait. Well it’s out, I saw it, and I loved it. And based on box office numbers, I wasn’t alone.

There was a certain sentimental factor, sitting in a dark theater, four-year-old daughter on my lap, watching that goofy Great Dane shiver his way around real life actors and sets. She’s just recently discovering what I’ve known for years:
That dog is just too much fun.

The FX for Scooby are really cool. In virtually every scene he fits perfectly. WB spent some good money getting him done right. The movie also features a lot more attitude than the cartoon. The characters are deeper (not saying much,
is it) and they all still fit together.

As for the writing, it’s obvious Scooby fans were behind this one. The mystery feels like one pulled straight out of an episode or two. Some elements you can directly pin on some of the earliest shows. What’s more, the writers knew fans
well enough to poke some serious fun at Scrappy-Doo (“He’s not a puppy, he’s just got a glandular problem” says Velma). The mystery is still a mystery, but there are usually enough clues given out that you can solve it yourself. That’s what I liked most about the original cartoon and that’s probably what got me interested in mysteries and fantasy in the first place.

This summer has a barrage of various movies of varying caliber. Sometimes it’s comforting to just watch a film and not worry about who’s going to become who’s father, or whether or not they’ll use the light or dark side of the duct tape.

Sometimes it’s just nice to watch four friends and their dog solve a mystery. And when that dog is brown Great Dane named “Scooby-Doo,” well, then it’s just icing on the cake.

High Point

Velma’s flashback to when the gang ditched Scrappy-Doo. At last revenge is ours!

Low Point

The two voodoo shaman scenes come off as just stupid. They fill a necessary part of the story, but they could have made them a lot better.

The Scores

Originality: No high marks, I mean it is just Scooby-Doo after all. 3

Effects: Scooby-Doo is just too cool. The monsters are excellent in their own right. 6

Story: The tag line says it all: “Be afraid, Be kind of afraid”. 4

Acting: Freddie Prinze Jr. doesn’t bother me as much as it does other people. Where things really get good is the rest of the cast. Matthew Lillard went so far as to scream himself hoarse to nail Shaggy’s signature voice. 5

Emotional Response: I laughed my butt off through most of the movie. I shouldn’t have found the burping/farting contest so funny, but I did. 5

Production: The sets were really imaginative, particularly the Spooky Island castle. Most of it looked like it was supposed to, like it was pulled from one of the cartoons. 5

Overall: Scooby-Doo fans, go forth and enjoy! If you didn’t like the cartoon, you’re not going to like the movie (surprise!). If you’re indifferent to it, you may want to give it a try, especially if you’ve got little ones (every kid
in the theater sat riveted and quiet). 5

Total: 33 out of 42

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2 replies on ““Scooby-Doo” Review”

  1. you gave it the “Lone Gunmen” treatment too!
    Thanks for spoiling the ending for those who haven’t seen the movie. :)

    (I’m not one of ’em, but the above review does unintentionally give away a bit more than, perhaps, it should.)

    • Re: you gave it the “Lone Gunmen” treatment too!

      Thanks for spoiling the ending for those who haven’t seen the movie. :)

      (I’m not one of ’em, but the above review does unintentionally give away a bit more than, perhaps, it should.)

      He would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for those pesky kids.

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