Blu-ray Review: Scooby-Doo! Wrestle-Mania Mystery (2014)

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In case anyone wondered what names Shaggy and Scooby would use if they were WWE Superstars, Warner Brothers Animation’s all-new straight-to-disc WrestleMania themed Scooby-Doo feature answers that question late into the movie when they find themselves facing off against Kane in a championship match once the announcer dubs them Skinny Man and Dead Meat.

Having won an all-expense paid trip to WWE City after they aced the victory dance routine in their video game and unlocked the special reward, smackdown superfans Shaggy and Scooby guilt the rest of the Mystery Inc. gang into traveling with them to the wrestling-themed destination.

Presenting them with a huge stack of photographic proof that illustrates Shag and Scoob’s continual willingness to serve as mystery bait in order to lure villains out of hiding to reveal their true identities, soon enough the other members of the group relent.

Giving in, we learn, is anything but a selfless act. Namely, the trip offers an added bonus for Fred to test out his new high tech camera’s ability to take killer action shots along with Velma’s interest in turning the trip into a sociological study of warrior rituals while likewise giving her and Daphne plenty of hot male eye-candy upon which to feast their eyes.

So excited to hit the road that they forget to bring their luggage (which doesn’t exactly put a damper on things since they always wear the same clothes), Shaggy and Scooby relish in their powers of persuasion… until they find themselves serving as mystery bait yet again.

Working alongside the eager and helpful John Cena, Scooby and the gang try to get to the bottom of who’s really behind WWE City’s mysterious Ghost Bear sightings that have wreaked havoc on the community and injured some of wrestling’s biggest stars including The Miz.

When the championship belt is taken and all evidence points to the perpetrator being a member of Mystery Inc., Shaggy and Scooby must take to the ring to clear their name unless the others can solve the mystery first.

Although the film is admittedly on par with an extended animated ad for the WWE, it turns out that the colorful larger-than-life characters of WrestleMania fit right in with the same ones we've seen throughout Scooby-Doo’s television and film history.

And this seamless WWE/Scooby blend is especially evident in a hilariously tongue-in-cheek yet creative faux ancestral backstory for the flamboyant superstar Sin Cara that we’re treated to in a flashback storytelling sequence which may help explain the supernatural element of the mystery.

Beautifully animated and richly detailed with energetic voice work by the cast, this Scooby-Doo feature easily surpasses the disappointingly juvenile live action adaptations by keeping in the same spirit of the original Hanna-Barbera cartoon, despite its obvious aesthetic improvements.

Despite this, the resolution to the mystery is slightly upsetting in terms of the politically incorrect rationale it provides as a motivating factor for mayhem which falls back on cinema's age-old disability stereotypes. Nonetheless, if you overlook the disappointing summation of who the villain is and why, you’re left with an otherwise above-average new entry in the vastly popular Scooby-Doo series that has sold over a billion discs to date to fans across the generations.

While normally outdone by the stellar DC Comics movies, Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania is surprisingly superior to the division's most recent Warner Animation outing Justice League: War.

However, fans of both series (like this reviewer), will be thrilled to discover that one of the greatest perks of this Blu-ray Combo Pack (which also boasts a DVD and digital copy) is its disc-opening trailers which offers you a glimpse of what’s coming next from the studio with a preview of Son of Batman.

Text ©2014, Film Intuition, LLC; All Rights Reserved. http://www.filmintuition.com Unauthorized Reproduction or Publication Elsewhere is Strictly Prohibited and in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.  FTC Disclosure: Per standard professional practice, I may have received a review copy of this title in order to evaluate it for my readers, which had no impact whatsoever on whether or not it received a favorable or unfavorable critique.

Blu-ray Review: Double Feature -- Scooby-Doo 1 & 2: Scooby-Doo (2002); Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

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As Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress and all-around “girl power TV icon” Sarah Michelle Gellar revealed in an interview, originally – and much like the satirical update of The Brady Bunch Movie – the concept for the big-screen, live action Scooby-Doo adaptation was intended to skew towards a hipper teen to adult audience.

So instead of long, painfully unfunny scene catering to the lowest common denominator of those who love scatological humor comprised of nothing but Shaggy and Scooby trying do outdo one another flatulence-wise, the original plan was to construct the film with jokes playing off inferences we've all made about the characters from Hanna-Barbera's late '60s Saturday morning cartoon, from Shaggy's munchies to Velma's relationship with Daphne.

Unfortunately, ambitious and downright risky comedy was abandoned in favor of the tried-and-true Hollywood formula of lazy gag-writing as toilet jokes were in and everything we loved about the original series was left out in order to make it as commercial as possible.

Nonetheless, Matthew Lillard's eerily uncanny portrayal of Shaggy goes beyond simply a dead-on impersonation and it's even more impressive when you consider the fact that he's bringing an animated character to life.

For eight years later, Lillard's Shaggy remains the one great discovery of the two-film Warner Brothers franchise since he's continued to lend his voice to Cartoon Network Original Scooby-Doo Movies and the latest TV series to introduce a new generation to the generations-old show.

Ultimately however, the main thing the two movies achieve is an overwhelming desire to erase them from memory, go back in time and revisit the classic series.

And while I do grant that each film does have its moments of bright energy and throwback loopy chase sequences involving secret passageways and creepy contraptions that feel highly authentic, so much is lost in the translation that it's hard to enjoy them for very long.

And although it doesn't take much to dumb down an already admittedly formulaic original series, Scooby's greatest failure is in its downright, dubiously bizarre blend of a CGI Scooby with the live action Mystery Inc. detectives that distracts us to no end.

While Freddie Prinze Jr., Gellar, Linda Cardellini and Lillard all look the part as Fred, Daphne, Velma and Shaggy complete with their immediately identifiable color-coded wardrobe, once they share the screen with the technological amateur hour creation that is the series' namesake of Scooby-Doo, the only thing we can do is stare in jaw-dropped horror.

Although there is a slight improvement in CGI in the second picture, it's an even greater head-scratcher when you realize that the other computer generated monsters and ghouls onscreen in both pictures are far more believable and -- at times -- a bit too intense for young viewers, than the flawed four-legged canine.

And unfortunately for the folks at WB who went to great lengths to release this double feature in Blu-ray format, needless to say, high definition calls far more attention to the awkward combination of live action with CGI in Doo.

Had the entire feature been animated or a trained real-life dog been used instead, director Raja Gosnell's movies may have fared slightly better or at least not have screeched to a total halt whenever Scooby's in the picture, thereby making this mistake that much more unfortunate since the last thing we should be OK with leaving on the cutting room floor is the pooch that started it all in Hanna-Barbera's original mysteries.

Much more entertaining than the tonally all-over-the-place first flick that was obviously still finding its footing as the gang investigates a strange “spell” that seems to have taken away the personalities of college students at an island vacation destination, the second movie centers on the return of villains from the detectives' past.

Turning into a PR nightmare as the arrival of some of Mystery Inc.'s greatest ghouls (including ones from the original series) coincides with the opening of a local criminology museum in their hometown of Coolsville, the detectives must battle to save their reputation right along with their community in a far more cohesive second installment, penned by the first film's screenwriter James Gunn.

Despite raking in an enormous box office take for the original 2002 summer popcorn picture that no doubt played on people's love for the series, neither time nor the jump to high definition Blu-ray has enhanced my appreciation for the movies. Instead, this release only strengthens my concern for Raja Gosnell's upcoming live action take on another cartoon classic with Smurfs.

And although I wish they could initiate a moratorium on both talking dog movies and big-screen send-ups of small-screen material, it's worth noting that every once in awhile exceptions should be made.

Perhaps to make up for this disaster, the former editor and frequent Chris Columbus collaborator turned director Raja Gosnell eventually aced the dog movie market with Disney's underrated Beverly Hills Chihuahua which reteamed him with his Never Been Kissed leading lady, Drew Barrymore.

Nonetheless, it's safe to say that the price is most definitely right for WB's holiday-themed double feature Blu-ray release to deliver both movies in one for those willing to indulge their love of the series enough to look past the many, many shortcomings of the films, perhaps if only to watch Lillard deliver lines -- rather than excess gas -- as Shaggy.

Text ©2010, Film Intuition, LLC; All Rights Reserved. http://www.filmintuition.com Unauthorized Reproduction or Publication Elsewhere is Strictly Prohibited and in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.  

FTC Disclosure: Per standard professional practice, I received a review copy of this title in order to evaluate it for my readers, which had no impact whatsoever on whether or not it received a favorable or unfavorable critique.

DVD Review: Scooby-Doo Camp Scare (2010)

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Eager to volunteer for something other than identifying bad guys and foiling deceptive plots with the Mystery Inc. gang, Fred dons his favorite ascot and brings Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby to his beloved childhood stomping ground in the hope of spending the summer as camp counselors alongside his friends.

Obviously he's got the right ascot and attitude for the job as his signature fashion accessory is mentioned right off the bat. Yet once the Mystery Machine rolls into Camp Little Moose, three people (in addition to Shaggy) try to get him to turn the van around with warnings of a maniacal ax-wielding maniac lurking in the woods.

Shortly thereafter, Fred discovers that along with his extraordinary allies, it's ultimately his skills as an amateur sleuth rather than his knack for teaching children how to handle a zip-line that will be needed for this summer mystery.

Thus they set aside Little Moose's usual agenda of rivalry with the wealthier snobs from neighboring Camp Big Moose to instead try to get to the bottom of the camp director's claim that all of the urban legends and nefarious baddies from their campfire tales have come to life to wreak bloody havoc.

Are the stories real or is somebody trying to purposely scare kids from coming to camp by sabotaging Little Moose?

Determined to still work in some time for fun and adventure since three children arrive before they can be sent back on the bus, it's evident fairly early on that the Mystery Inc. will have their work cut out for them with this assignment of being counselors and detectives by day and night.

Bouncing back with super bright animation and action packed sequences that combine adrenaline fueled excitement with daring thrills after a slightly frightening opening prologue which may have been a bit too intense for younger fans of the original Saturday morning cartoon, Scooby-Doo Camp Scare is a highly entertaining installment in the ongoing series of direct-to-disc original movies.

As the fifteenth title released from Warner Brothers in the ongoing series, Camp Scare impressively manages that difficult task of remaining true to the past by blending together some classic elements of the Hanna-Barbera series including the gang's love of literally unmasking villains along with finding themselves in comedic jeopardy throughout while subtly updating the pace and spirit of the cartoon to appeal to younger audiences.

Gently spoofing campfire tales along with scary movies set in the woods, the cleverly written children's work even pays homage to some of the series' notoriously quotable comeuppance lines like “we would've gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling kids” as well.

While seasonally speaking, this one should've hit shelves in early June, from food fights to cool chases, Camp Scare is one modern Scooby-Doo DVD that's sure to appeal to new fans and old purists as well, complete with a genuinely surprising albeit outrageously Scooby style resolution to a complex case... ascot not included.

Text ©2010, Film Intuition, LLC; All Rights Reserved. http://www.filmintuition.com Unauthorized Reproduction or Publication Elsewhere is Strictly Prohibited and in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.  

FTC Disclosure: Per standard professional practice, I received a review copy of this title in order to evaluate it for my readers, which had no impact whatsoever on whether or not it received a favorable or unfavorable critique.

TV on DVD: Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! -- Season 1, Volume 3: Hello Mummy (1969)

The Classic Series Continues
Where It Left Off
As A Fun Feature Length
4-Episode DVD

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I tell you, the only thing scarier than clowns are ghost clowns. As Mr. Barnstorm tells the veterans of the Mystery Machine in the second episode of the most recent Scooby Snack sized serving of the vintage Saturday Morning Cartoon's debut '69 season, "when the ghost clown appears at your circus, you might as well quit."

Yet par for the course for her brainy bespectacled character, Velma remains skeptical about myths just as she does in cases involving Scooby-Doo vs. a werewolf, an ominous curse of a three thousand year old entombed Egyptian mummy out for vengeance, and a crazy puppet counterfeiter. However, soon enough, events take a more sinister and unexplainable turn in this colorful collection which leads to hypnotized trapeze acts, violin cases filled with brand new bills, fake "girl dogs" used as bait, and much more in this fast-paced eighty-eight minute DVD.

A solid quartet of episodes-- the third volume features the show's famous denouement confession word-for-word that the villain "would've gotten away with it if it wasn't for you crazy kids," as brainy Velma, dashing Fred, gorgeous Daphne (every young boy's animated crush) manage to sleuth out the truth in roughly twenty-two minutes.

While I never quite understood the unusual group dynamic that includes the dimwitted slacker Shaggy and the TV show's namesake as embodied by his trusty canine sidekick Scooby-Doo, in the disc's opener "The Backstage Rage" it became much more evident as an adult that the duo's overactive appetite usually leads them into cases and clues.

And sure enough, you'll be glad it's on DVD and not network TV filled with fast food ads as you may find yourselves crazing some "blockbuster pizzas" with Shaggy and Scooby-Doo as they stumble their way into danger... while typically the higher functioning members of the ensemble ultimately piece together the satisfying mysteries.

Despite the fact that admittedly it suffers slightly from the dated look of the show and animation that doesn't feel overly crisp, the standard sized aspect ratio and original mono sound bring you right back to feeling like you're witnessing it when it aired forty years ago. Containing a pointless bonus episode of the new animated series which loses the flavor, feel and soul of the show, you'll want to ignore that completely and focus exclusively on the other original episodes "The Backstage Rage," "Bedlam in the Bigtop," "Gaggle of Galloping Ghosts," and "Scooby-Doo and a Mummy, Too," wherein the first two episodes rank among the season's best.

Although you must be warned that the show's theme song has the tendency to stay in your head for days, even if the plots are bit too easy to predict, there's still no replacing the enjoyment of a great mini-marathon of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You provided you steer clear of Mr. Barnstorm's circus.

"The Backstage Rage" Video Clip

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TV on DVD: Scooby-Doo Where Are You! -- Volume 2: Bump In the Night (1969)

The Classic Series Continues
Where It Left Off
As A Fun Feature Length
4-Episode DVD

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While admittedly I'd forgotten about what I'm assuming was-- most likely-- a canned laugh-track, only moments into this delightful second volume of episodes 5-8 in the order aired from the debut season of Scooby-Doo Where Are You?, when that instantly recognizable theme song began I felt completely transported back to my childhood.

Granted, I wasn't around for their initial airing as a Saturday morning staple on CBS in 1969 but through the ultra-successful syndication of this and other Hanna-Barbera properties, I developed an affection for the always-spirited (literally speaking) shenanigans of the original Scooby Gang or Mystery Inc. who traveled around in that groovy fan solving cases involving haunted houses, endless red herrings, and a parade of eccentrics who were frequently unmasked in the finale as the one(s) causing all the ruckus.



The group is headed up by Fred-- the blonde, All-American Saturday morning poster boy for a fraternity or a poor man's (a.k.a. school age kid's) version of Robert Redford. And the unlikely band of sleuths also consisted of the gorgeous, red-headed Daphne, the Nancy Drew by way of a librarian stereotype pal Velma, and the scatterbrained Shaggy whose main asset to the group was the ownership of his trusty canine sidekick, the eponymous and irreplaceable Scooby-Doo.



Kicking off this fun DVD with “Decoy for a Dognapper,” the fifth episode of season one in a story that has a particular significance for Scooby as both a dog and one who's attracted to a high-class show dog that's joined the ranks of other missing pets-- the group takes a cue from the popular cop shows of the era and sends Scooby in as an undercover decoy, setting a trap to ensnare the villains.



Of course, there's a few hitches in their plans literally as a railroad and ghosts are involved in some pretty impressive action sequences that still hold up today and the mysterious merriment continues throughout with the following two inclusions “What the Hex Going On?” and “Never Ape an Ape Man,” which uses the show's routine set-up of a friend or relative who is somehow connected or at the very least in the vicinity of a deceptive plot.



While “Hex” is amusing but average, “Ape” stands out as particular fun in its homage to monster movies as Daphne's film director uncle lets the Scoobies work as extras on his new horror film where they quickly realize that an authentic “Ape Man” arrives and he's less than happy that a movie about a fictitious one is being made-- taking it out on those involved.



The capper of the collection is the exciting “Foul Play in Funland,” which uses a terrific premise to draw both the audience as well as the Mystery gang in when they arrive at an amusement park to find that-- well ahead of its scheduled opening-- the seemingly haunted park is operating at full capacity with rides, coasters, games, and snack stands operating nonstop. Of course, this is instantly appealing to all as it seems to be a dream come true but when the group realizes that nobody is on the park from customer to crew member, they realize there's no such thing as a free ride.

All in all it's an excellent feature length (88 minutes to be exact) helping of four more episodes for those who don't own the seasons in their entirety or are trying to introduce the show to kids in small increments. And although the cartoon series itself doesn't appear as though it's been restored at all with some soft color presentation in the animation-- it's still pretty timeless (canned laughter aside)-- with thrilling scenes of tension mixed in with the humor supplied by Shaggy and Scooby.

Brightly packaged in an attractive box that pulls its image from the final episode-- while the disc also offers a bonus, high-tech, modern episode of “Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!” as a DVD extra with sharper animation and a furiously fast rock track-- I found it grating on the nerves as a vintage Scooby fan.



To this end, I am pretty confident in saying that even twenty-first century kids who are presented with the classic cartoon in its original format will still find so much to love about it that there's no need to even move to something “re-imagined” that doesn't come close to the original vision of the series developed by Hanna-Barbera. In other words, skip "Get a Clue" and stick with "Where Are You."