Laura’s Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
I am a die-hard Scooby Doo fan so I was obviously hyped to see this movie when I heard it was in production. I enjoyed the movie but it’s probably my least favorite of the Scooby Doo movies.
The Analysis:
I was obsessed with Scooby Doo as a child. I watched every episode of the original series I could get my hands on. My parents now groan and recount how I made them watch the same DVDs over and over again until they could barely stand it. One of my favorite pastimes was making my Dad watch Scooby Doo (after he had come home from a long night at the firehouse) and then scolding him when he inevitably fell asleep. The point is that I’m a huge fan. However, this movie was a bit disappointing for me. While this movie was cute, it was nothing special in my opinion.
The plot of Scoob! was decent and there are some cute lines and fun scenes. I always love when a movie for kids can also be entertaining to adults, but unfortunately I don’t think this is a great example of that. The plot and characters feel a bit juvenile. I think that the target audience of this film would love it, but I wish it had appeal to a wider range of viewers.The characters are voiced by a menagerie of talented actors and actresses including Mark Wahlberg, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, and Ken Jeong. Special shout out to Frank Welker, who voiced Fred Rogers in the original series and was the voice of Scooby Doo since 2002 and in this film.
Despite a new origin story for how Shaggy, Scooby, and the rest of the gang meet, this movie does remain true to its Scooby Doo roots in a couple of ways. Dick Dastardly is the main villain, a character who has appeared in various Hanna-Barbera series since the 60s. Dee Dee Skyes, Dynomutt, and the Blue Falcon also have Hanna-Barbera roots and the latter two appear in a 2013 direct-to-DVD crossover with Scooby. My favorite part of the movie: Scoob! has an awesome reanimation of the original 1969 Scooby Doo! Where Are You theme song (a side-by-side video is definitely worth a watch on YouTube).
Old references provide the platform for a new and reimagined Mystery Inc. gang that will appeal to younger generations. Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby each have a more defined and important role in the group that highlights their specific talents. The movie also emphasizes the importance of friendship and loyalty, and has a heartwarming ending. Scoob! doesn’t have any major flaws, but it failed to excite me like I had hoped. Adults can probably pass on this film, but anyone with young children or siblings should certainly watch this for family movie night.
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