"Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed" - Do the Doo
by Homer Yen
(c) 2004
Everybody deserves a second chance. The first
"Scooby Doo" film, released in 2002, was a vapid
exercise that inspired more snoozing than
anything else. It lacked the zip and imagination
of the original cartoon series. However, it did
generate oodles of business at the box office.
Studio heads know when to cash in. But do they
know when to improve upon an original's
shortcomings?
Well, as everybody deserves a second chance, I
was ready for a second helping. And, I was happy
to find that this film is markedly better than
the original, although it still comes up short in
its ability to hold our interest over its
88-minute running time. Why is it better? The
characters are more fleshed-out, there are more
inspired moments of buffoonery, and the spirit of
the original cartoon series is preserved. It is
as if the creator of this film was an avid fan of
the original cartoon and set his sights on
delivering a true rendering of that vision.
Let's just call this The Passion of the Doo.
As the story opens, the team of Mystery Inc. are
attending a museum event that exhibits costumes
of old villains that they had defeated. For
those of you that had watched the cartoon, you'll
certainly remember and get a kick out of the
likes of Blackbeard's Ghost, or the Tar Monster,
or the 10,000 Volt Monster. Zoinks! Suddenly, a
new monster appears and steals these costumes.
And we are treated to some of the cartoonish
visualizations that had previously been lacking.
For example, Scooby gets dragged down a buffet
table full of different-shaped bottles. As he
slams into each one head-on, his head instantly
molds into the shape of every bottle that he
hits.
Like all good family films, there is a lesson
taught. Again, every one deserves a second
chance. And we see those meddling kids step up
ready to contribute. Feckless Fred (Freddie
Prinze Jr.) defines his leadership role. Vain
Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is ready to be
more than just a pretty face. Sweet Velma (Linda
Cardellini) has an opportunity to explore
romance. Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and Scooby
(voiced by Neil Fanning) can redeem themselves
from all their previous goof-ups.
The likely culprit is one of three people. It
could be the trash-TV reporter (Alicia
Silverstone) who is out to discredit the group.
It could be Old Man Wickles (Peter Boyle).
Although he has a strong motive, Scooby Doo TV
fans know that whenever you're eccentric and your
name begins with "Old Man," you are a suspect.
It might also be the awkward museum curator (Seth
Green), who seems to always be in the wrong place
at the wrong time.
Kids, I believe, will really enjoy this film. It
has lots of eye candy, there are lots of special
effects, and there is a perpetual fun-house
atmosphere. They visit creepy mansions,
abandoned mines, and labs of mad scientists.
Meanwhile, the older crowd, if they have seen
Scooby Doo, will likely feel a bit of nostalgia.
You can certainly buy into the voices of the
animated Scooby and his beatnik companion,
Shaggy. The film feels like a revved-up cartoon.
And, you may think that you've reawakened the
10-year old in you.
Grade: B-
S: 0 out of 3
L 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
========== X-RAMR-ID: 37490 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 1269453 X-RT-TitleID: 1131111 X-RT-AuthorID: 1370 X-RT-RatingText: B-
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