HOLLYWOOD─I was probably the biggest fan of the animated cartoon series Scooby Doo growing up as a kid. I loved and I mean loved the series “Scooby Doo: Where Are You?” It was like an opportunity for the viewers to participate in the mystery with the characters. Would you solve who the culprit was before they were unmasked? On some occasions yes, on other occasions not so much.
The success of that film has spawned countless movies, some animated, some live versions, but now things have turned back to focusing on the animated element and I for one am a fan of it. The latest incarnation of that dog that just loves treats, and Shaggy, Velma, Fred and Daphne are chronicled in a new light in “Scoob.” I actually enjoyed this movie because not only is if for the kids, but brings a bit of nostalgia for adults who grew up with the characters, who have been around since the 60s.
There are indeed some inside jokes that have always been the fun of the series that adults will absolutely pickup on, but kids will slightly miss in the process. The humor doesn’t go too far where it raises concerns for adults about what their children might be hearing. “Scoob” also wins point in my personal opinion for giving the audience a bit of a backstory about who the Mystery Inc. gang came to be. We’ve always known Shaggy (voice of Will Forte) and Scooby (voice of Frank Welker) have always been best buddies, but now we get the opportunity to see how that friendship came about.
The same applies for the friendship of Scooby and Shaggy spilling over to the crew of Fred (voice of Zac Efron), Velma (voice of Gina Rodriguez) and Daphne (voice of Amanda Seyfriend). I will admit the plot is a bit convoluted or gets too cutesy for my liking. When it comes to storytelling, you don’t have to overdo things to keep the audience’s attention which this film seems to do in my opinion.
Long story short the gang gets intertwined with criminal Dick Dastardly (voice of Jason Isaacs), who is determined to reunite with his dog Muttley (voice of voice of Billy West). There is a lot going on and the journey will be much more exciting for the kids than the adults, but it won’t place you to sleep. There are also fun characters like Brian aka Blue Falcon (voice of Mark Wahlberg), Dee Dee Skyes (voice of Kiersey Clemons), Captain Caveman (voice of Tracy Morgan) and a host of others who help to push the story forward.
“Scoob” is far more entertaining than I expected, not the most original concept, but it gets the job done to ensure the audience is not bored. We still get the mystery that has made the franchise so popular where you get clues and you’re asked to piece them together before the reveal actually takes place. Opens on a fun note, and ends of course with the perception that a sequel could be headed in the audience’s way in the near future.
