Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, and the gang have been entertaining audiences with their unique brand of mystery-solving since the animated characters first debuted on CBS in 1969. Filmmaker Tony Cervone has successfully brought the Mystery Incorporated gang into a new millennium with the Warner Bros. released animated flick, Scoob!
After years of cutting his teeth with TV work on Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes, Cervone makes his big-screen debut with the enjoyable and visibly pleasing Warner Bros. Animation effort. The timing is impeccable for introducing a new generation to these crime fighters. They may have been born in the 60s, but as they appear in Cervone’s flick, they are very much 21st-century creations. That doesn’t simply involve their aptitude with technology. It’s firmly in the screenplay by Matt Lieberman, Adam Sztykiel, Jack Donaldson, and Derek Elliott. It’s a solid script that not only fully develops Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, and Fred, but manages to weave in some beloved characters from the Hanna-Barbera canon that will send longtime fans into a frenzy.
The new gang has immediate camaraderie and that speaks volumes to the talent of the voices behind these beloved characters. Will Forte was born to be Shaggy, Gina Rodriguez dazzles as Velma, Zac Efron is fantastic as Fred while Amanda Seyfried is the perfect person to tackle Daphne. The stellar cast continues with Mark Wahlberg just blowing us away as Blue Falcon while Ken Jeong brings his comedic mastery to the role of Dynomutt. Meanwhile, Jason Isaacs’ take on Dick Dastardly is dastardly, indeed.
This is the first time that the origins of Scooby-Doo and Shaggy were explored. It’s no secret how it is handled, after all, it is featured front and center in the Scoob! trailer. Let’s just say this, though, it is adorable and figures that our favorite crime-fighting dog and his owner would meet over a sandwich. The flick also shows how Shaggy and the gang came to be “the gang,” but doesn’t waste valuable screen time on tons of exposition. It’s a fine line that filmmakers have adhered to, what introducing characters to a generation that knows nothing about them, and simultaneously keeping it brief so as to not impede the thrills of the mystery at the heart of this film.
The plot of Scoob! involves a potential so-called “dogpocalypse” and who else could be the key to stopping it? Our one and only titular canine! There’s also the lineage of Scooby that is learned that will make longtime fans smile for sure. What else is fascinating is how it may seem like—on paper—the film is crowded, what with the inclusion of Blue Falcon and Dynomutt and their “universe,” but that would be the furthest thing from the truth. Cervone and his team have kept their flick as taut as can be and believe it or not, it does not feel like a two hour and fifteen minute-long movie.
Audience response to the initial release of Scoob! was solid and that’s exciting because this is a landscape that I hope spawns a franchise. These are fully formed characters who are now ready to tackle any mystery that is thrown their way, all without the need for introducing these characters. The potential sequel will be able to just dive right into the thrills (and spills, knowing Shaggy and Scooby!).
Everyone in the ensemble is terrific, but we have to give a huge shout-out to Wahlberg. The actor can do it all, but there is something sublime about his comedic skills. He showed them off in the R-rated Ted movies and it’s nice to see that he can keep it PG-rated and still mine the humor treasure trove that is Blue Falcon. Perhaps, we can even wish for a spin-off for our winged hero?!
The 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray that we received, well, it just looks amazing. It is a visual cornucopia of awesomeness—from the inner workings of the van that is not only the gang’s mode of transportation but the source of much of their mystery-solving, to the Blue Falcon “spaceship” that Scooby mistakes for IKEA. It is as visually pleasing as any animated film this year, and that is saying something. Sonically, it sounds incredible as well.
When it comes to the bonus features on the 4K UHD Blu-Ray, there are the usual deleted scenes and bloopers. But there is also an interactive piece that younger viewers will treasure. How to Draw Scooby Doo features director Cervone showing viewers how to draw Scooby-Doo. It is done in a manner that even the youngest Scooby fan can feel empowered with their artistic skills drawing the iconic animated pooch.
New Friends, Newer Villains is a terrific featurette that has the helmer talking about the “Hanna Barbara cinematic universe” that we alluded to earlier. After experiencing Cervone’s flick, I was hoping that there would be more from the Scooby world, and from the sounds of this featurette, that is firmly the case. What else the featurette does is spotlight the baddies, as well as all the “non-Mystery Machine” characters that will play a larger part in future features.
That blooper reel clocks in at almost four minutes. Animated flicks have a fascinating history of blooper reels that run the gamut of quality. For Scoob!, this is pure joy from beginning to end. In fact, don’t be shocked if you are compelled to watch it more than once—those younger viewers tend to appreciate such things!
Lastly, Puppies is exactly what one would think it could be—the cast of Scoob! having a ball with some adorable pups. That might be a featurette the kiddos want to see on repeat as well. Just giving you parents out there a head’s up!
Film Grade: B+
Bonus Features: B