Is ‘SCOOB!’ Worth Watching? Worth Your Time? A Complete Review

A reboot of the Scooby-Doo franchise, ‘SCOOB!,’ features a stellar cast of voice actors. It is set in the Hanna-Barbera cinematic universe and tries to make an old cartoon cool again for children.

The film deviates from the beloved small-town mystery formula and tries too hard to be a superhero movie revolving around Shaggy and Scooby.

While younger viewers might be enamored by the dumbed-down plot and colorful CGI animation, fans of the franchise will be left dismayed and wondering why they shouldn’t just watch the old cartoons.

1. Quick Review

SCOOB! is less about reinvention and more about recycling. The writers try to add a superhero spin to the franchise with a villain hell-bent on an apocalypse, but it comes off as charmless and tacky.

The movie tries to be about too many things at once and misses the chance to set itself up as a worthy precursor to similar productions in the future.

2. Is it worth watching?

Counting on the need for new content, and the franchise’s good reputation among adults SCOOB! was released via video-on-demand when the Coronavirus pandemic pushed back its theatrical release.

A CGI animated movie from Warner Animated Group Production featured the members of Mystery Inc., namely Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and the talking dog Scooby. The Scooby-Doo franchise has been around since the 60s and has garnered a massive fan following with numerous cartoons and specials.

SCOOB Official Trailer (NEW 2020) Scooby Doo Animation Movie HD

This reboot tries to elevate the plot for the big screen by replacing the small-town mystery with a global quest to save the world but lacks clarity and depth and comes off as makes for an agonizing watch for long-time fans the franchise.

I. Plot

The opening moments of the movie are by far the best thing about it as we see an origin story about the gang. Shaggy befriends a stray dog named Scooby-Doo, and while trick-or-treating, they meet Fred, Daphne, and Velma.

The gang stops a robber from getting away on Halloween night, and the foundations of Mystery Inc. are laid. The movie then skips for several years due to deteriorating financial conditions, Shaggy and Scooby are forced to leave Mystery Inc.

They cross paths with Blue Falcon (Mark Wahlberg), who needs their help to stop his nemesis Dick Dastardly from ending the world.

Dick wants to open the gates to the underworld and release the mythical three-headed dog Cerebrus, causing a “dogpocalypsye.”

The movie rapidly shifts to a Shaggy and Scooby adventure as multiple characters from the Hanna-Berbera cinematic universe make unnecessary appearances.

The movie is a typical good guy vs. bad guy without any acknowledgment of the franchise’s complicated plots and actual detective work in the past.

II. Cast

The producers managed to rope in several big names for the voice acting. Frank Weller (Scooby) and Will Forte (Shaggy) are the only two people who commit to the script and bring some life to their characters.

Zac Effron (Fred), Amanda Seyfried (Daphne), and Gina Rodriguez (Velma) round up the rest of the gang.

We also have Mark Wahlberg as the Blue Falcon and Jason Isaacs, aka Draco Malfoy playing the villain Dick Dastardly.

Tracy Morgan and Ken Jeong also appear as characters from Berbera’s universe — Captain Caveman and Dynomutt, respectively.

III. Music and Animation

The CGI is simultaneously the best and worst part of the movie, maybe because of the weak script. The animation team has done a wonderful job creating a colorful and dynamic world that will appeal to children’s eyes.

Scoob! Trailer Song (Avicii - Without You ft. Sandro Cavazza)

It makes old characters new again, but they lack the charm, wit, and intuition of the older cartoons.

Tom Holkenborg has composed the film’s zesty score and SCOOB! The album was released with the movie featuring the songs “On Me” by Kane Brown and Thomas Rhett and “Summer Feelings” by Lennon Stella and Charlie Puth.

3. Final Thoughts

Despite having an enormous budget, which helped to rope in many big names, the movie falls short on multiple fronts.

The superhero skin is tacky, and we don’t get enough screentime with all of the gang to fully understand what they do and how they went about solving mysteries in the past.

Incorporating the franchise into the Hanna-Berbera cinematic universe is a treat for those who are aware of the existing characters.

Otherwise, the long list of superhero cameos feels boring and unnecessary. It is frustrating to see a movie that starts with great promise, fall into a void of unenthusiastic writing as it progresses.

Older viewers find themselves robbed of the opportunity to see old Scooby back on the screen. The confounding and confusing storyline, lack of screentime to the gang, and the introduction of multiple new characters leave them woeful and sad.

The movie credits four writers, and one can’t help but feel that they overdid it. It feels more like the third installation in a franchise and less like an introductory reboot of an epic classic.

A complex and humorous series about catching criminals has been massacred into a children’s adventure quest and does nothing to honor the legacy of Scooby-Doo.

4. Grade

5. Info