Blu-ray Review: Scoob!

Blu-ray Reviews, Reviews, Top Story

There have been plenty of Scooby Doo movies throughout the years, mostly animated with a handful of live-action sprinkled about; however, Scoob! somewhat brushes all those aside and launches Scooby Doo anew in a CGI film that starts things off from the beginning: when Shaggy (Will Forte) first met Scooby (Frank Welker.) Now, not a lot of time is spent here, as it’s just enough for viewers to find out that Shaggy is a lonely kid unable to make friends, and Scooby is a stray dog always out to find food. When their paths cross it’s clear that their friendship is kismet.

The pair then meet Fred (Zac Efron), Daphne (Amanda Seyfried) and Velma (Gina Rodriguez) later that night while out trick-or-treating, and the group somewhat accidentally solve a crime while simply trying to help Shaggy get his candy back. Cue the Scooby Doo theme song and a montage that covers 10 years as we watch the friends solve various mysteries, grow closer and create Mystery Incorporated. So technically during this montage is where some of the previous Scooby stories may have fit in, but Scoob! doesn’t rely on its audiences previously knowing anything from Scooby’s history to enjoy the film – though knowing various characters from Hanna-Barbera’s library may add to a bit of the enjoyment.

Once the theme song finishes and we’re in present day, the gang is meeting with Simon Cowell (who voices himself) as they’re looking to take Mystery Inc. to the next level. Cowell praises Fred, Daphne and Velma, as they have clear roles in the group – though in true Cowell fashion, he then rips into Shaggy and Scooby, calling them the weak links and saying he can’t help the group if they’re a part of it. Before the gang can speak up Shaggy and Scooby dismiss themselves, saying they know when they’re not wanted.

Little do they know, they are wanted – or at least Scooby is – by Dick Dastardly (Jason Isaacs), who believes Scooby is the key to the success of his evil master plan of opening a gate to the underworld and vast treasures. Dognapping Scooby won’t be as easy as he first believes; however, as another Hanna-Barbera character, The Blue Falcon, is there to save the day! Or, at least his son Brian is, as the real Blue Falcon has since retired. As Scooby, Shaggy and the Blue Falcon try to figure out a way to stop Dastardly, Mystery Inc. is doing their own investigation as to why he’s so interested in Scooby in the first place.

The addition of the Blue Falcon (voiced by Mark Wahlberg) and his crew, Dynomutt (Ken Jeong) and Dee Dee Sykes (Kiersey Clemons) bring Scoob! a bit more into the superhero summer blockbuster family movie genre over a more straightforward haunted mystery that Scooby fans may be used to; though I believe that there are enough of those out there that this bigger Hanna-Barbera-verse story shouldn’t ruffle too many feathers with the team somewhat straying from their usual format.

What’s most important above all else is that the film is true to all the characters, and the main theme that takes center stage is the importance of friendship and believing in one another as well as yourself. It’s also a really funny movie, with plenty of zingers coming from all characters that parents should enjoy quite a bit, even if they fly over their kids heads. Oh, and this doesn’t mean that Scoob! is just meant for kids while being tolerable to parents who are forced to watch it. My wife and I don’t have kids and we both found the movie to be fully entertaining, with both heart and plenty of laughs. So if you’re looking for a fun escape from some of the hardships that this year has thrust upon us all, grab your Scooby snacks and give Scoob! a watch!

The movie looks great, with really bright, vibrant colours throughout. Even the couple of darker, haunted moments early on are child friendly and bright, which works for the story being told. The audio is also right on point, with a great soundtrack mix, clean sounding dialogue and a solid sound mix overall. Both compliment one another really well, and while the film doesn’t break any barriers in the CGI department, it doesn’t really need to. The movie looks sharp and sounds good, and in the end that’s all that’s needed from a movie like this.

Special Features:

Bloopers – This is a fun watch, as you get to see the voice cast, well, voicing their characters! They seem to have recorded separately, which isn’t surprising, and had quite a bit of fun while doing so. It’s just under four minutes long, but definitely worth a watch.

How to Draw Scooby Doo – This feature is just over 10 minutes long and sees Director Tony Cervone give a drawing lesson on Scooby Doo. It’s actually a well done bit and Cervone is likely talking to kids when explaining; however, the inspirational way he says to not worry about making mistakes speaks to everyone.

New Friends, Newer Villains – This feature is just over six minutes in length and showcases the new characters that are being brought into the film outside of the Scooby Gang. We also get a better look at the film’s villain, and his little robotic henchmen that were created just for this movie.

Deleted Scenes – I skipped over these, as I usually do, but there’s roughly 20-minutes here spread out over 10 deleted scenes that were never actually animated, so you can watch the storyboards or rough animation if you want to give them a look.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents Scoob!. Directed by: Tony Cervone. Written by: Matt Lieberman, Adam Sztykiel, Jack Donaldson, Derek Elliott. Starring: Will Forte, Frank Welker, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Gina Rodriguez, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Isaacs, Ken Jeong, Kiersey Clemons. Running time: 93 Minutes. Rating: PG. Released on Blu-ray: July 21, 2020.

 

Brendan Campbell was here when Inside Pulse Movies began, and he’ll be here when it finishes - in 2012, when a cataclysmic event wipes out the servers, as well as everyone else on the planet other than John Cusack and those close to him. Brendan’s the #1 supporter of Keanu Reeves, a huge fan of popcorn flicks and a firm believer that sheer entertainment can take a film a long way. He currently resides in Canada, where, for reasons stated above, he’s attempting to get closer to John Cusack.