Scoob!
Spoiler-free review
By Christiana
Their common passion for mystery, sandwiches and Scooby Snacks brings together a group of adventure-oriented kids, one lonely boy in search for friends and his soon-to-be puppy best friend. You know them and you love them - it`s the Mystery Inc. This time, Velma (Gina Rodriguez), Fred (Zac Efron), Daphne (Amanda Seyfried), Shaggy (Will Forte) and Scooby (Frank Welker) reunite on the small screen with a new and intriguing adventure.
“Scoob” follows the events that ultimately lead to evil genius Dick Dastardly (John Isaacs) planning the extraction of an ancient treasure hidden in the Underworld. Along with this plot, the animated feature centers around Scooby`s great destiny and the gang`s exciting encounter with the superhero ensemble - Dee Dee Skyes (Kiersey Clemons), Blue Falcon (Mark Wahlberg) and Dynomutt, his loyal canine companion voiced by Ken Jeong.
The beginning of the film really gets the viewers hooked to the story; it`s quite emotional, the characters look very young and adorable, which certainly brings nostalgia to the game. As Scooby Doo and Shaggy meet for the first time, their connection sparks joy and calls you in for a fresh series of mysterious cases waiting to be solved.
The film presents a reinterpreted intro featuring the main scenes from the original version incorporated in the animated series from 1969. This time, the animation style is significantly different - where the old series had a masterfully-crafted minimalist style, the latest installment from the Scooby Doo franchise offers a much more modern approach. The original appearance of the characters is of course, preferred over this new one, but “Scoob” brings its own assets to the game. Shaggy and Scooby, for one, seem to make audiences more emotionally-invested in this format.
Its genre and content viewing category contribute to one`s interest and fondness of the film as well. Being a family film, this relatively brief but effective description tells a potential viewer exactly what to expect from this type of picture. “Scoob” pretty much fits this etiquette entirely, mixing fun elements with an adequate dose of adventure and suspense to keep the story going for the younger audiences.
A number of refreshing additions, such as the perky little minion-like robots and the classic abandoned carnival scene, paired together with some unexpected locations and characters, give an exciting edge to the plot. Surprise celebrity appearances, a whole bunch of pop culture references - mostly used appropriately - make Tony Cervone`s “Scoob” an enjoyable picture for the young members of the family.
Although it`s invigorating and all, after passing a certain point in the story, it seems as if the main storyline gets lost during the course of events and the writers try to take over and add unplanned elements so as to keep the story appealing. The film already focuses on too many distinct narratives and there is no room for plot additions.
To some extent, the music choice is fine, but overall too much to take in, unless you are fond of contemporary music genres. What`s undoubtedly missing in “Scoob” are the signature sound effects and tracks the classic cartoons could not have run without. Quite less than what was expected of it, the film is not bad per se, though it lacks a few fundamental aspects that should unmistakably constitute a truly remarkable Scooby Doo installment.
