Film Reviews

Scooby Doo

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Freddie Prinze Jr.
• Details: US / 83 mins / (PG).

Considering the source material - a Hanna Barbera cartoon about a private investigator canine - Scooby Doo was never going to be anything other than a big, dumb summer movie. And though that was never in question, the quality of the finished product leaves quite a big lot to be desired. Taking up where the animated series left off, the premise of Scooby Doo sees the Mystery Inc. crew going through some tough internal strife. Two years after they decide to split up, the gang are invited (separately) to Spooky Island, where they uncover a devious theme park run by the nefarious Mondavarious (Atkinson) and must re-unite to solve the mystery.
The director of Scooby Doo, Raja Gosnell, apparently wanted to send up the original series, while also paying tribute to it, and perhaps it might have worked had the writing and direction been a little more concise and a little less self-conscious. Instead, the makers of Scooby Doo fumble around, recycling a rake of gags and scenarios, saturating them in special effects (many of which are below par, including the computer generated title character) and expecting the audience to lap it up. Don't get me wrong - as a kid I loved the old animated series as much as the next tyke, but this big screen CGI onslaught just doesn't cut the mustard.

Review by Garreth Murphy