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Scooby-Doo
(PG)
Plot Summary Mystery
Inc., the paranormal investigators, are Fred (Freddie Prinze), Daphne
(Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (Linda Cardellini), Shaggy (Matthew
Lillard) and, of course, Scooby Doo the cowardly talking dog. The group
investigate and solve strange spooky happenings but after their last
successful case the group fall-out amongst themselves and go their
separate ways. Two
years later there are re-united by the mysterious theme park owner, Emile
Mondarvarious (Rowan Atkinson). Emile thinks that his “Spooky Island”
theme park is haunted by real ghosts and wants Mystery Inc. to
investigate…
Review
The movie is based on the
popular long running cartoon series of the same name and millions of
people will remember watching the cartoons after school or on Saturday
mornings. It very much follows the formula of the cartoons which basically
means that the weak plot involves chasing, or being chased, by an
assortment of ghouls and ghosts until the final scene when the villain is
unmasked. The human characters mirror their animated counterparts and
Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) was brilliant in this regard. The movie is very
much a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
Cinema-goers
have had nicer things to say about the movie than most of the critics and I have to say
that I enjoyed the movie. I liked the way the plot and characters where
exactly like the cartoons. It is fundamentally a kids movie and while it
might not be as good as, say, The Grinch
it is still way ahead of many
of the movies that target the younger audience. I’m sure Scooby Doo has
made a few new friends amongst kids who have never seen the cartoons.
There are a few scenes, with
computer-generated monsters, that very young children might find a little
scary. Computer generated Scooby Doo, the big lovable softy, was excellent,
and Scooby 'n' Shaggy got most of the laughs especially from the younger
audience. Matthew Lillard who plays Shaggy is excellent and nobody could
have looked more like the cartoon character.
He even sounds exactly like him! The rest of the gang play their
part but the hilarious talents of
Rowan Atkinson, who plays Emile Mondarvarious the theme park owner, were
completely underused.
The plot might be silly but it's still great fun especially if you are
familiar with the cartoons or you are under twelve!
Reviewed by Niall Quinn,
Premier Movie Reviews,
2002
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