Scooby-Doo - A Movie Review

Scooby-Doo, where are you? We have a mystery to solve on Spooky Island!

Arriving at Spooky Island in 2002, Scooby-Doo is a live-action film of the hit cartoon series. The Mystery Inc. gang agrees to split up following a disagreement. Upon receiving a special invitation to Spooky Island, the gang must come together when a mystery that’s never been brought to their attention before, threatens the island.

Scooby-Doo has always been popular in the cartoon media. When it was first released, the live-action adaptation of Scooby-Doo has garnered mixed feedback. Scooby-Doo is still a fun film that focuses on leadership and being happy with who you are.

Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prince Jr., Sarah Michelle Geller, and Linda Cardellini embraced the personalities of the Mystery gang. They did a wonderful job in their interactions. Learning to work together and trust is an essential part of friendship. The friendship between Mystery Inc. has evolved over the decades, showing viewers that anybody can be friends.

Aside from Scooby-Doo, the main highlight of the film is Lillard. The more roles I have seen Lillard in, I am impressed with the range he delves into, becoming his characters. His over-the-top and bug-eyed reactions were funny. I also liked his interactions with Scooby. Most of the time, he was speaking to thin air.

However, the main cast has been vocal about how they weren’t a fan of their own performances. Some fault goes in the direction as there are a few out-of-character moments. For example, there is an instance when one of the characters proclaims to abandon their friends without any hesitation. Obviously, this script needs more fleshing out because it didn’t feel done.

Rowan Atkinson makes a memorable appearance. After this film, Isla Fisher will never be forgotten since her name is one of Shaggy’s favorites. Other credits include Miguel A. Nunez Jr., Steven Grives, Charlie Cousins, Nicholas Hope, and the voice of Neil Fanning as the beloved Scooby-Doo.

A full ensemble is included for extras on Spooky Island. Or mainly just to run around in panic when danger is amuck.

The story of Scooby-Doo has some glitches, but not as extreme as the weak visual and CGI effects incorporated into the film. Scooby-Doo and all the monsters are digitally included in the film. I know it’s supposed to look cartoonish, but filmmakers could have done better.

Behind the scenes, Scooby-Doo went through multiple rewrites. The tone of the film went through changes - even being an R-rated film at one point! Raja Gosnell had a lot to live up to based on the popularity of the cartoons. Overall, he did a good job with the direction of the cast.

I agree that this film could have gone through a cleaner edit before filming began. One character change upset most fans of the series. Over the years the majority of the cast and crew have disowned the live-action Scooby-Doo.

Don’t get me wrong, Scooby-Doo is goofy and amusing. There’s plenty of action in this film that will keep you entertained. I know I was laughing a lot when I saw it in theaters as a kid. Writers could have thought up better jokes instead of forcing a laugh.

The live-action film does its best to capture the tone and style of a Scooby-Doo cartoon. The haunted mansion was given a great spooky design. Except, the film includes unnecessary scenes. One scene, though it still makes me laugh, is cringe-worthy and belongs more in another film.

If you are looking for a silly and lighthearted film for October, kids will enjoy Scooby-Doo. It always makes me laugh.