Last we saw Scooby-Doo and his gang of teenaged mystery solvers. It was a 2000 live-action effort that starred Matthew Lillard and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Warner Bros. smartly decided to reboot the characters that were born in the minds of animation geniuses Hanna Barbera. Their Saturday morning cartoon entertained millions of us and still holds an incredibly special place in our collective hearts. It is then such a relief that the 2020 incarnation of the gang is back, and they join forces to give us an utter family-friendly blast of fun.
Scoob! works like an origins story, which is delightful to witness as we see how Shaggy (voiced by Will Forte) first met Scooby (voiced by Frank Welker) when the poor put was a stray running away with a whole slap of Gyro meat for his hungry tummy. Not only did Scooby provide the lonely Shaggy with a friend, but it introduced him to a trio of friends that will be by his side for years to come. Velma (Gina Rodriguez), Fred (Zac Efron), Daphne (Amanda Seyfried), and dynamic canine-human duo grow up to make Mystery, Inc. They specialize in solving crimes and they do it all through innate smarts, inquiring mentalities, and of course, the Monster Machine (their van!).
As Scoob! commences, the fab five are facing their most difficult to crack mystery yet. An evil villain, Dick Dastardly (Jason Isaacs), has his sets on Scooby. But why? He wants to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world and all the chaos that will come with it. Have to say, this is a pretty intricate plot for an animated flick and there are dozens of jokes that land squarely for the younger viewers and their adult parents or friends. One thing director Tony Cervone achieves ever so effortlessly is not only introduce us to this world but smoothly and speedily move the plot and the players around so it is more about the mystery at the movie’s heart than introducing us to these characters that many of us have known for years. For this writer, witnessing a seven-year-old’s first discovery of all-things Scooby-Doo through Scoob! was simply perfect. She followed the intricate plot, cheered on the characters, and more importantly, was talking about it, long after the credits rolled. A ringing endorsement from a kid if there ever was one.
The voice acting troupe is top-notch and their chemistry is incredibly palpable, considering most animation work is recorded solitarily. It is impossible to spotlight just one, but there is a whole enormous pair of shoes with Scooby and Shaggy to fill and Welker and Forte hit it out of the park. It took me back to the Casey Kasem days. Look closely, there’s a tribute to the late voice actor and host in the picture! Forte is a comedic explosion of talent and his Shaggy is approachable, as well as endearing and hilarious. Then, there’s Scoob! Welker is a brilliant voice actor and it shows on every frame.
Scoob! utilizes his talented ensemble to the fullest, thanks to a pitch-perfect script by a Fab Four of writers, Matt Lieberman, Adam Sztykiel, Jack Donaldson, and Derek Elliot. It is hugely impressive what they have accomplished by simultaneously introducing this gang to a whole new audience (probably generations worth), while still holding true to the sentiment of the original that is beloved by millions (including this guy). There are a few cameos tossed in (no spoilers here) that will get you a wee bit excited, recalling our youth.
There’s an additional hero in Scooby-Doo 2020 and that is Mark Wahlberg’s Blue Falcon and his metallic dog sidekick Dynomutt (Ken Jeong). Wahlberg has long shown his comedic chops are of the highest level. Transitioning to voice work shows he hasn’t lost a step. In fact, he’s even more affably humorous as the winged superhero who “abducts” Scooby and Shaggy to send our thrilling mystery into motion. If there were awards for Best Supporting Voice Actor at the Oscars, Wahlberg would be a shoo-in. Jeong is no slouch either, but we already expect excellence from the Community veteran.
Scoob! is out now on demand so you can watch it at home with your little ones, or even for yourself as a longtime Hanna Barbera appreciator. None of you will finish the flick disappointed. It’s a good ole time.
Grade: B+