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| Scooby
Doo
Directed By: Raja
Gosnell Plot
Summary - Review 1 - Review
2 - CURRENT REVIEWS
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| An Update by the classic cartoon of the same name[TRAILER 1] [TRAILER 2] "Scooby Doo," the latest Hollywood production to be based on a popular cartoon series, is exactly what one expects walking in. It does not have lofty goals, and as such is a perfect summer film. It aims for mass appeal, for mass appeasement and, with that purpose in mind, is a crowd-pleasing success. Now, before I am accused of being a cynic, I want to clarify that I do enjoy some big-budget summer films. Last year in fact, "Shrek" had the same formula as "Scooby Doo"-an animated summer film with goofy characters and several layers of humor targeting viewers of various ages. But, it then took the next step using clever in-jokes, genuine satire and a rather complex emotional story involving love and loss. "Scooby Doo" never really strives for more, but is content with itself as a reiteration of a beloved children's memory. It hits its marks, satisfies its fans, and, despite a bit of wandering, accomplishes its goals. What I found most impressive was director Raja Gosnell's success in sustaining the cartoon's tone even through an overdone, action-packed third act. At its heart is a sincere message ("friends never quit"), and a fond affection for characters that, for many, are as recognizable as Spider-Man or Luke Skywalker. For those unfamiliar with the "Scooby Doo" cartoon program, it is about a group of four kids and a dog who help adults solve mysteries. There is Fred Jones, the snob, Daphne Blake, the blonde ditz, Velma, the brainiac who saves the day, and then Shaggy and Scooby Doo, the suspected-stoner and canine companion who provide comic relief. It is an entertaining formula because a), these characters are uniquely eccentric, b), humor is present throughout the story, c), these characters stumble upon their discoveries in a realistic way, and d), at the end of each adventure, a mask is removed to reveal the real culprit behind the mysteries. Accordingly, every episode guarantees viewers familiar characters, a few laughs, an engaging mystery and a surprise ending. Benchmarked solely against that reliable formula and what fans will expect from its big screen adaptation, "Scooby Doo" is an undeniable success. Each component makes the transition. Mysteries, Inc. is intact, with Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (Linda Cardellini), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and Scooby (voiced by "Human Nature's" Scott Innes). Enough cannot be said about the cast, which wisely views the character's stereotypes as a liberating artistic license. Each person plays their part to the extreme, giving "Scooby Doo" an animated, zany feel that frees the movie from any sort of literal interpretation. Unlike other cartoons that make their way to theaters and then play it straight, everyone in "Scooby Doo" is part of this silly world, in on the joke. Innes' Shaggy is the most memorable of the bunch. Hilariously aloof, he never seems to quite understand where he is or the danger that is often right beside him. Add to that some subtle humor using his stoner image and you have a memorable performance. And for the most part, "Scooby Doo" never abandons its roots. The story starts with the group breaking up, and later reuniting for a new mission. What better way to reintroduce fans to their favorite characters and newcomers to this bunch than to start anew? It is later, when they are attempting to uncover a brainwasher on Spooky Island that the pitfalls of summer moviemaking arise. As goblins and monsters chase the kids time and time again, one can feel the money being spent on special effects that serve as nothing but filler. As the story and the characters are pushed aside, I grew restless with scenes that more closely resemble "Die Hard" action than Saturday morning cartoon fun. Then again, credit must be given to the story, characters, and performances that none of these "blockbuster" tendencies ruin the film. In fact, as quickly as the film is interrupted, it regains its footing. As the brainwasher is unmasked, I snapped back to attention, a smile returned to my face, and the innocence resumed. "Scooby Doo" is surely everything its fans are hoping it will be, and in that sense is a movie that deserves recommendation. Besides, with a cup of coffee, a fidgety child, or a well-timed potty break, you may not notice the dull spots at all. 
Check out Reviews, Commentary, and More at Zertinet.com |
LINKS
TO REVIEWS |
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Unlike comic
books, the live action movies based on old animated TV shows has been relatively
slow in coming. We had the Flintstones a few years ago, but aside from that
there hasn't been a whole lot of interest. Scooby Doo luckily is a success
of a movie, which also shows us why Hollywood hasn't made them all into
movies. Scooby Doo works quite well for the first 40 minutes or so, and
then drags on as the movie gets put on autopilot. However, the first 40
minutes is still wonderful, and the ending doesn't detract from the beginning
as much as it simply fills time. Its movies like this where I wish the theatre
business could get past dealing with 2 hours as a target time. There's no
reason the movie couldn't have been one hour, and the theatres could just
charge a little less for tickets. Children have a hard time sitting in a
theatre for two hours anyway. Scooby Doo begins with slight 90's updates of the old campy characters breaking up. The opening sequence so perfectly matches the old animated episodes that the movie seems to suggest that the movie takes place where the animated series left off. We're introduced to our basic characters, the self-involved blonde pseudo intelligent boy, the self-involved shopping and status obsessed girl (you can also read this frat guy and sorority sister), the brainiac, and the stoner and his faithful sidekick. The first half of the movies has jokes for both kids and adults. Luckily the producers didn't choose to edit out any of the subtle sex and drugs jokes that have made Scooby Doo so popular amongst college kids. The drugs jokes in particular are exploited to their fullest potential. Shaggy meets a girl named Mary Jane on the plane, smoke constantly emanates from the van, tripping and "like-wow" are used as frequently as is and the, both Scooby and Shaggy are addicted to Scooby-Snacks (which also give them the ability to calm down and face their fears). And of course the whole time the jokes are so well hidden they'll fly right over any kid who isn't at least 13 years old. It's like Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Sure it can be about LSD, but if you just temporarily untwist your mind it's just an innocent song about a girl named Lucy. Unfortunately the movie doesn't properly pace the use of it's joke stash, so the movie doesn't quite stay rolling the whole time. About 40 minutes into the movie it comes down pretty hard and just kinda spaces out. The plot (which was always the exact same in the animated series and never important) becomes the driver of the action, and long uninteresting chase sequences pop up much too often. In the end the audience gets exactly what they expect - of course slightly more exciting. Not just a mask but a whole mechanical body suit is removed, and the evil bad guy says, I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for those @#%^$#^ kids. If anything Scooby Doo has fallen into a studio trap. Without the ability of most studio reps to look past some imaginary bottom line, they end up compromising the integrity of the movie. The bad part of the movie is so different from the good parts, that some might expect they are directed by different people or perhaps directed by someone who just didn't have the heart. Scooby Doo will prove an enjoyable experience for just about everyone. It's a true summer film. Nothing too heavy, some laughs, some fun, some wit and just a fun film.
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