Jinkies! This is different
Scoob and the gang met by chance and ended up as an unlikely team from the very beginning. When the Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby get in trouble for damaging the Vice Principal’s car at Coolville High School, they’re forced together as a team. When they discover that there are three nasty spirits trying to run everyone out, they ban together to solve the mystery and to clear their names.
I know the description seems sort of random, but that’s actually how the movie begins. As an adult, the film was all over the place in terms of story. The introduction and placement of all the characters was fine, but having ghosts appear out of nowhere, with little motivation or purpose, is mystery. What are the chances that a dog (Scooby) comes across a well-placed cemetery and happens to witness two ghosts arising from their graves? It’s completely far-fetched! What’s even worse is that when the group gets in trouble later on in the story (for the second time) they do it without their parents having one word to say about it (another far-fetched portion). There are so many things fundamentally wrong with the story that as an adult I would have been driven crazy by now. The animated show had more coherent storylines and plot points.
With that said…. my kids loved it. As a reviewer it is your job to sit down and give an honest, unbiased opinion on products. Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins was not geared towards me; it was geared towards a younger audience. My kids laughed at the ‘fart’ humor and were scared with the ghosts (they’re girls and they are 7 and 5 years old) and simply loved the overall adventure. They weren’t concerned about plot points or random happenstance issues in the story, or the use of devices. My kids saw a dog and bunch of different, unlikely personalities coming together to solve a very difficult mystery. What more can be said about this? Now, my kids aren’t the squeamish type, so they don’t get easily scared. The movie is incredibly kid friendly, with a few things that might have your kids hiding under the covers briefly. Overall, it’s a entertaining piece that, at least, my kids enjoyed the hell out of. That’s the big thing to remember; this is geared towards kids, not you.
Now, back to being an adult for a second. The acting in the movie was spot on the television show. While Fred did have black hair, which was weird, the young cast certainly took their acting jobs seriously. For a movie that went directly to DVD, the fact that the cast really bought into the responsibility of each character, and the importance of the characters, is nothing short of impressive. After the first 20 minutes I forgot that Fred should have blonde hair as Robbie Amell’s acting really sold me on him being Fred. While Hayley Kiyoko might have turned it on a bit thick as Velma (we know she’s a geek, don’t constantly reinforce it), she was equally as entertaining. The point is everyone did a fantastic job and believed in what they were doing; that is always a plus for these types of films.
As it is geared towards kids, here’s what you get in terms of features:
– Coolsville Yearbook – The actors who play Fred, Velma, Daphne and Shaggy reveal even more of their character’s back-story including what they do in their spare time, their favorite foods, what they want to do when they grow up, and a secret time capsule message for the future that can be solved by finding clues hidden within the DVD enhanced content.
– Velma, Daphne, Fred or Shaggy? Personality Quiz – Are you a brain, a drama queen, a jock or a loveable nerd? By navigating a series of questions, you can decide which member of the Mystery Inc. gang you are most like.
– Character Pop Up Factoid Track – Velma gives scientific and trivia factoids, Daphne gives stylish and dramatic interpretations, Fred flexes his muscles and Shaggy, well everything reminds Shaggy of food. Available on Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def only.
– Extras – Behind-the-Scenes, Shout-Outs and Out-Takes.
