When it comes to animation, Scooby-Doo has to rank near the top in the pantheon of iconic characters. The lovable, insatiably hungry pooch has been around for over 50 years now, and has starred in countless series, direct-to-video films, and even two live-action adaptations that had their charms. It was only a matter of time before Warner Bros. decided to reboot one of their most enduring properties for the big screen. In Scoob!, we get a computer animated origin story of Scoob and the gang mixed with the introduction of the larger Hanna-Barbera universe. Popular actors take over the voicing duties for this iteration that, while mostly harmless and enjoyable, fails to accomplish much that makes it essential viewing.
The movie begins with the perfect “meat” cute between Scooby and Shaggy, a lonely kid that really just wants a friend. When this rascal of a dog crosses his path, the two instantly understand each other and connect on a level that only best friends can. Their friendship is incredibly heartwarming, and that love only grows when they befriend Fred, Daphne and Velma on Halloween night. The first twenty minutes or so of the film are the highlights, as we get a nice dose of sentimentality, humor and a quick mystery that is the staple of Mystery Inc. The remainder of the film is fun enough, but rarely delivers full-on laughs. We fast-forward ten years later past a compilation of iconic mysteries to present day where the gang is looking to take their business to the next level. Investor Simon Cowell (yes, that Simon Cowell) is looking to do business with Fred (Zac Efron), Daphne (Amanda Seyfried) and Velma (Gina Rodriguez), but is suspect of Shaggy (Will Forte) and Scooby’s immaturity. This causes a minor rift within the team, sending Shaggy and Scooby on their own journey where their small-time experience is about to be put to the test against a real dastardly villain.
The story suffers somewhat from having the gang separated throughout so much of the film. Following a curious attack on their lives, Scooby and Shaggy get picked up by a new trio of Hanna-Barbera characters to serve as a temporary stand-in for the Mystery Inc. gang. We have by Dee Dee Skyes (Kiersey Clemons), Dynomutt (Ken Jeong), and the Blue Falcon (Mark Wahlberg), who is actually the son of the original Blue Falcon named Brian. The Blue Falcon is a bit of a coward and not comfortable with his newfound responsibility to be a hero, which puts him on an even playing field with our two central characters. They reveal that Scooby is being pursued by the malevolent Dick Dastardly (Jason Isaacs) for reasons to be revealed. At the same time, the other members of the Mystery Inc. team are trying to reunite with their friends after realizing the mistake they have made in parting. The journey to the climax takes everyone on an emotional journey filled with tested friendships, character growth and run-ins with additional Hanna-Barbera figures, such as Captain Caveman (Tracy Morgan).
Scoob! does its best to sell the emotional moments, and it mostly succeeds in that respect, but it seems to misunderstand that one of the main joys of the series has always been the interactions between our core group. Fred, Daphne and Velma almost feel like an afterthought for the majority of the film. This may have worked if the newer group had made more of an impression, but only Dynomutt registers anywhere on your radar once the film ends. The voice performances are all mostly pretty solid, but that can only take you so far when you have a script that is severely lacking in jokes for anyone who has moved past elementary school. As a lifelong Hanna-Barbera fan, it is so cool to see some of the more niche characters get brought to the mainstream, but I want something worthwhile to come from them once they have that visibility. The film is not a complete mess or anything; it is just a disappointment to say that it is nothing more than pleasant. If Warner Bros. does decide to continue exploring the Hanna-Barbera universe on film, let us hope they develop something that elevates the genre rather than treads water.
Video Quality
The Blu-Ray of Scoob! looks quite magnificent in its 1080p transfer. The clarity of the image is as pristine and flawless as you would expect a modern animated film to be. The computer-generated characters do not have any stylistic blemishes or bleeding outlines. The character designs and settings have a really impressive amount of details including stray hairs and the grainy texture of sandy environments. Colors are bright and bold in a way that practically leaps off the screen. The iconic Mystery Machine looks sleek and vivid in all lighting. This transfer has a really good sense of depth given the animation style. This film really wows in high definition.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio transfer that is supremely engaged and active. The dialogue and voice work never falters in clarity. The score and special effects are balanced well so that no lines of dialogue are ever overwhelmed within the mix. The main dialogue is anchored in the center channel with occasional instances of people communicating from off-screen. Environmental sounds fill the surround speakers with subtle sounds. Action sequences result in sounds panning around the room in a really cool way. The low end is engaged way more than you would imagine for a film of this sort. Music drops fill the side and rear speakers in a way that makes your room come alive. Scoob! is probably not the first movie you would think of to show off your system, but it is an active enough track that you certainly could.
Special Features
- Bloopers: Four-minutes of bloopers and behind the scenes footage of the voice actors. This is always a personal favorite among special features, and some of the exchanges in here are quite amusing.
- Deleted Scenes: There are ten unfinished deleted scenes totaling twenty-minutes with an introduction to each from director Tony Cervone. There is some worthwhile stuff in here including an alternate introduction to Scooby and Shaggy, a hilarious extended caper to score the most Halloween candy and more.
- How To Draw Scooby-Doo: A ten-minute featurette where director Tony Cervone explains step-by-step how to draw the titular character while pointing out some traits that are essential to the character. You might look at Scooby-Doo a bit more closely after this.
- New Friends, Newer Villains: A six-minute look at the new heroes and villains that the creators pulled from the larger Hanna-Barbera universe. This is fun and informative as you get a look at the larger history of these characters, as well as thoughts from the actors voicing them. One of the more enjoyable features on the disc.
- Puppies!!: A minute long video of the actors who voice the Scooby gang playing with some extremely cute puppies. Really, that is all, and it is great.
Final Thoughts
Scoob! coasts on goodwill from longtime fans of the franchise to bypass doing anything truly innovative or memorable. The movie is a decent time waster for the younger set, but older fans will likely be disappointed by the lack of clever jokes for the entire family. The voice cast are doing some good work, but the script could use some fine-tuning. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has provided a truly excellent A/V presentation along with some fun special features. There are a lot of interesting seeds of ideas that could be nurtured in future films. Let’s hope that everyone involved uses this as a good learning experience.
Scoob! is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
